2015 3 01

GUYANA

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VENGEANCE POLITICS No. 104115 SUNDAY MARCH 1, 2015 GUYANA’S MOST WIDELY CIRCULATED NEWSPAPER

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What motivates Opposition’s vengeance?

Africo Selman resigns from APNU Page

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Africo Selman

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M15 rifle, .32 pistol

used in Little Diamond execution

– cites ‘infighting’ as reason, and asks: ‘How can I represent people if I can’t speak for myself?’

PRE-ELECTION POLL FINDS…

Opposition alliance favours Ramotar/Harper ticket

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…APNU supporters upset over concessions to smaller AFC

Trevor Adams

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Large silver deposit found in Guyana – amounts to 6.3 million ounces Page

DR. DALE DAN

See Inside

is Vice President of

Teleperformance …will help state-of-the-art contact center hire nearly Dr. Dale Dan

1,500 EMPLOYEES

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 1, 2015

Entertainment galore at Dharmic Sabha’s grand Phagwah Mela

By Rebecca Ganesh-Ally

THE Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha started its annual Phagwah celebrations last evening with a grand mela at the Guyana International Convention Centre at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.

Scores of persons graced the annual event to be entertained by the colourful dances, melodious singing and scrumptious food.

There was a star-studded line-up of artistes headed by outstanding US-based Guyanese singer Purnash Durgaprasad.

Also performing was the E-Networks Emerging Voices winner Vishalie Sukram and runner-up Artie Sookhai, along with Rekha Singh, Sookrane Boodhoo, Dharmendra Gobin and Chevalia Rampersaud. They were backed by the Dharmic 3 Caribbean Hotshots Band.

Some 30 dancers from the Sabha’s Dharmic Nritya Sangh, recently out of a successful Naya Zamana, presented exciting choreographies replete with energy, glitz and glamour. Also with performances equal in excitement and glamour was the Saraswati dance group of Essequibo and the Jewanka Nritya Group of West Coast Demerara.

The grounds of the Conference Centre was transformed so that patrons were able to move freely from the beautifully decorated stage area to the bazaar featuring numerous food stalls, offering a variety of sumptuous dishes and sweets, mehndi booths, games for all as well as great shopping deals on everything from Indian clothing, jewellery and Phagwah supplies.

The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha will also be hosting its annual Holi Utsav on Phagwah Day (March 6) at the Everest Cricket Club ground, Carifesta Avenue, Georgetown and Holika will be burnt on the eve of Phagwah at the Camptown ground, Campbellville at 19:30hrs. The Sabha extends invitation to all to join in this celebration of “good over evil.”

Also attending the annual mela last evening were First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, other Ministers of Government and members of the Diplomatic Corps.

Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar pay rapt attention to one of the cultural performances

Dancers from the Sabha’s Dharmic Nritya Sangh entertain the audience with a hot number

Some of the young dancers from last night’s mela await their turn to perform

Some of the performers at the Phagwah mela

A section of the crowd in attendance at the mela last evening (Adrian Narine photos)

Africo Selman resigns from APNU – cites ‘infighting’ as reason, and asks: ‘How can I represent people if I can’t speak for myself?’

By Gary Eleazar A Partnership for National Unity’s (APNU) frontbencher Africo Selman has resigned from the

partnership and from the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR), citing “infighting” within the partnership.

Selman’s resignation was con-

firmed by APNU’s General Secretary Joseph Harmon, who also related that the resignation took effect from Thursday last, days before the dissolution of Parliament.

Selman was elevated to the front bench of APNU following the death of Deborah Backer, who, in addition to holding the post of Deputy Speaker, also held the portfolio of Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister.

Selman assumed the foreign affairs portfolio.

Her departure from the PNCR arm of the APNU bloc in Parliament is but the latest result caused by persistent infighting that has publicly marred the APNU party in recent times.

In an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Selman debunked claims that her resignation had anything to do with being offered a diplomatic

Turn to page 20 ►

Africo Selman has tendered her resignation from the PNCR, APNU and from Parliament

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 1, 2015

PRE-ELECTION POLL FINDS…

Opposition alliance favours Ramotar/Harper ticket

…APNU supporters upset over concessions to smaller AFC – 83% distrusted secret talks

President Donald Ramotar

AN opinion poll conducted by the North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA) in February has found that a majority of the nation opposes the formation of an alliance between the two main Opposition parties, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC).

The findings of the poll released over the weekend revealed that voters feel the alliance instead of defeating the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) will help its re-election with incumbent President Donald Ramotar and recently announced Elisabeth Harper, as prime minister.

The findings of the poll were obtained through interviews with 620 voters to yield a demographically representative sample of 42 per cent Indians, 31 per cent Africans, 17 per cent Mixed, nine per cent Amerindians, and One per cent of other races in the population.

The poll was conducted through face-to-face interviews and was coordinated by New York-based pollster, Dr. Vishnu Bisram.

Its results have been analysed at a 95 per cent significance level with a statistical sampling error of plus or minus four percentage points.

According to its findings, supporters of the AFC and the PPP find that a People’s National Congress (PNC)-led ticket evokes memories of the insidious plan to topple the PPP in 1964, with the PNC-United Force (UF) alliance, the ejection of the UF from the ruling coalition, and the dictatorial abuses that followed.

“Supporters and sympathisers of the AFC are seething in discontent with the party for entering into a union with the APNU (PNC), leading to an exodus in support for the party,” according to the findings of the polls.

It was found too that supporters of the PNC “are also angry with their leadership for giving up too much to the AFC to form the alliance that may not win the election.”

Dr Bisram’s 2015 early election poll unearthed that members and supporters of the AFC are also turned off by what they perceive as “the leadership cutting deals for positions for themselves and not consulting with them on entering into an alliance with the PNC.” It was found that an overall majority of voters expressed the view that the AFC erred in forming an alliance with APNU (PNC) and “say it will pay a heavy price even if the alliance wins, because many feel that the PNC cannot be trusted with power given its past.”

The poll revealed too that the nation is still largely divided along racial lines on the alliance issue as well as on other issues.

“Almost every Indian is opposed to the alliance, while a large majority of Africans and people of Mixed races endorse it. A majority of Amerindians are also opposed to the alliance…It is generally felt that had the AFC remained independent from the PNC, it would have built on its current support.”

According to Dr Bisram’s findings, the AFC supporters said if former PPP stalwart Moses Nagamootoo were the presidential candidate of the newly formed alliance, they would have considered voting for it. The findings unearthed too that some among other ethnic groups that had planned to vote for the AFC have also had a change of heart for the party because of the alliance.

“Many Indians support former Speaker Ralph Ramkarran as a consensus presidential candidate saying if he were the candidate of the alliance, they would vote for it.”

Asked whether APNU and the AFC should jointly contest the elections as one party, 55 per cent said ‘no’, 38 per cent responded affirmatively, while seven per cent were not sure.

“Almost every Indian said no with a large majority of Africans and Mixed-race peoples saying ‘yes’; most Amerindians also opposed it,” according to the findings of the poll.

It was observed too that many PNC supporters also registered opposition to the alliance, saying that their party would have had a good chance of capturing power in a plurality if the AFC had contested separately and split the PPP support base.

Asked if they support the secret nature of the negotiations between the APNU and AFC to form an alliance, 83 per cent

said no, feeling they have something to hide, while only eight per cent supported the secret talks between the two parties with nine per cent offering no opinion.

Asked who should be the presidential candidate of the alliance, Indians overwhelmingly backed Nagamootoo, while Africans overwhelmingly supported Opposition Leader Brigadier (rtd) David Granger. According to the findings of the poll, some respondents felt Carl Greenidge should be the presidential candidate, describing him as the most qualified and experienced and internationally exposed among the po-

Mrs. Elisabeth Harper

tential contenders.

On the question of who should be the presidential candidate for APNU in the absence of an alliance, supporters are divided down the middle between Granger and Carl Greenidge.

For the AFC, in the absence of an alliance, Nagamootoo leads Nigel Hughes in presidential preference among supporters.

Almost every Indian and Amerindian supporter of the AFC backs Nagamootoo, while Africans and Mixed peoples lean towards Hughes.

The poll also quizzed voters on how they plan to vote, and the findings will be released in a subsequent report.

Large silver deposit found in Guyana

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 1, 2015

- amounts to 6.3 million ounces

By Clifford Stanley

THE Canada-based mining Company, Sandspring Resources Ltd., announced last week that it had discovered a large deposit of silver at Toroparu in Region 7 (Cuyuni/ Mazaruni) and that it intends to exploit this resource commercially.

Chief Executive Officer, Rich Mun-

son, disclosed that the silver resource amounts to 6.3 million ounces and added that it lay within the boundaries of the company’s Main Pit and South-east Pit areas.

Its presence was identified by metallurgical testing and the completion of additional in-fill silver analyses on existing core drilling, during the period of May through August of 2014, when

silver analyses of core/pulps were completed for approximately 12,000 samples.

He said the declaration of the silver deposit was significant for Sandspring because of the current high level of volatility in the mining sector.

Metallurgical testing, Munson said, had demonstrated recoverability of this silver in both of the proposed mineral processing streams of flotation and Carbon-in-pulp, and as such Sandspring has initiated discussions to utilise this silver resource to secure additional fi-

nancial support for development of its gold-mining Project at Toroparu.

Sandspring Resources Ltd. is a Canadian junior mining company currently in advanced exploration and in the process of finalising a feasibility study for the multi-million ounce Toroparu Gold Project.

Silver, the white metal, has an illustrious reputation for its use in jewellery, coins and silverware, but its primary use is industrial.

In 2014, Mexico was the largest producer of silver worldwide.

Dissolution proclamation published THE proclamation for the dissolution of Parliament was issued yesterday via an ‘extraordinary’ publication of the Official Gazette.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, yesterday maintained that the dissolution was done in compliance with the provisions of Guyana’s Constitution.

“Parliament has been dissolved as indicated by President Donald Ramotar and the dissolution was done in compliance with the relevant constitutional provisions,” he told the Chronicle in an invited comment.

The President, last Tuesday, indicated that he would dissolve Parliament yesterday, February 28, paving the way for the May 11 General and Regional Elections.

He reasoned that the dissolution was done yesterday so as to ensure that all eligible voters are enfranchised in the lead-up to the polls.

“I did not dissolve the Parliament at the same time because, had I done so, the Claims and Objections period, which also allows for transfers would have been truncated. Were the latter to have occurred, thousands of Guyanese voters who changed their place of residence would not have been able to obtain their transfers, and this could have led to them being disenfranchised,” the President said in a televised address to the nation, during which he made the announcement.

This fact was confirmed by senior officials of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

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Also, the Claims subset of the Claims and Objection period ended on Sunday, February 22, while the Objections subset will end on February 27. To date, the numbers released by GECOM indicate that thousands have taken advantage of the Claims and Objections period.

Parliament had remained prorogued following President Ramotar’s November 10 proclamation in the face of a Confidence motion that would have ended the life of the 10th Parliament and move the country to even earlier elections.

The Head of State’s subsequent announcement of a date for elections came after the objective of prorogation (dialogue in the face of political impasse) failed.

Additionally, Article 61 of the Constitution states thus: “An election of members of the National Assembly under Article 60 (2) shall be held on such day within three months after dissolution of Parliament as the President shall appoint by proclamation.”

The groups of public officials who will be affected by the dissolution will include the RDCs and Members of Parliament (MPs), the services of whom will be curtailed.

The Executive Government, the President and his Cabinet, will continue in their roles until a new executive has been sworn in after the upcoming elections.

(Vanessa Narine)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 1, 2015

‘I am ready for the challenge’ – says PPP/C’s prime ministerial candidate

By Vanessa Narine “I AM ready for the challenge. Whatever I put my mind to I like to succeed. This is not for Elisabeth Harper. This is for all the women out there who see me as the first woman prime minister. This is for Guyana, the country in which I have lived and worked for almost four decades.”

This was the confident assertion from the governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) prime ministerial candidate, Elisabeth Harper, in her first interview, a candid engagement that the National Communications Network (NCN) secured and televised live yesterday afternoon, and is slated to air again on NCN at 15:00 hrs (3pm) and 21:00 hrs (9pm) today.

‘Lis,’ a preference Harper indicated during the 20-minute broadcast, was interviewed by Olive Gopaul Mrs Harper, a 57-year-old career diplomat, has worked with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for decades, and on the same confident note she declared her ticket, relative to social issues, many of which constitute hot-button debates in Guyana, which will form part of her list of priorities.

PLATFORM ISSUES At the top of her list of seven, are education, jobs, crime, support for the elderly and economic growth.

According to her, advancing the development of Guyana’s improving education system is an area that must continue to receive the attention of those in positions to advance change.

She pointed out that Guyana’s successes to date have been recognised by none less than the United Nations (UN), whose head had extended an invitation to incumbent Head of State, President Donald Ramotar, to sit on an education reform council. She added that subject Minister, Priya Manickchand, has also guided significant strides for the sector.

“Education is a definite priority,” Mrs Harper posited.

The creation of more jobs, she added, in both the technical/vocational field and further afield is another essential issue that must be addressed and will have spin-off benefits for the development of the country as a whole.

These two, jobs and education, will assist in the reduction of Guyana’s crime rate. “We must have a zero tolerance,” the PPP/C prime ministerial candidate stressed.

She explained that for there to be a zero-tolerance policy for crime, there must also be a focus on stronger families.

“We must have certain things in place,” Mrs Harper said.

Each of the outlined issues, she added, is as important as care for the elderly. “We must acknowledge the contributions that the elderly have made to Guyana and we must respect that and honour them.”

Mrs Harper drew a few personal refer-

Elisabeth Harper

ences at this point, disclosing that she herself cared for her mother until she was 91 years old, a woman who had Alzheimer’s disease, a condition that did not make her care an easy task.

“I know what it is for the elderly to need care, sometimes full-time care, and support.

My mother had Alzheimer’s and that took us to another level…[it is] my passion and my husband’s passion, it is important,” she said.

A more recent memory, her last position of employ, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, informed the fifth issue on her list: that of the preservation of Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“Given my background and what has been done in the last five years to preserve, protect and maintain Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity [this is what informed me],” Mrs Harper said, adding that there have also been successes in securing international support for this endeavour.

Next up was the issue that almost every Guyanese has an interest in, the economy; and according to the PPP/C prime ministerial candidate, continued and sustained economic growth is key to building Guyana and positioning the country for a bright future – one that encourages investments and one, more importantly, that is marked by stability.

A STORY TO TELL As was the underlying tone of her debut interview, Mrs Harper exclaimed that the last social issue is something of personal import, that of domestic violence – the subject of a story she has been able to tell and will continue telling, if it means support for another woman.

“Domestic violence is real,” she declared.

Mrs Harper recalled her first marriage and the “abuse” that characterised it, even as she maintained her respect for her former spouse, given that he remains the father of her children.

“He was abusive. I felt it was not right to subject myself or children to that unhealthy environment,” the PPP/C prime ministerial candidate said.

She added, “Me being able to tell my story, I feel that I could encourage women and interest groups in society to help to rid us of this; also help young women who are looking for role models who are looking to empower themselves.”

Her sentiments were expressed with the same confidence as when she commented on being able to come out of the May 11 General and Regional elections and becoming Guyana’s first female prime minister when she said, “This is for all the women out there who see me as the first woman prime minister.”

Mrs Harper explained that all together these seven issues are major ones that, with the appropriate continued focus, can complement the overall effort to ensure that Guyana is a country within which Guyanese youth remain in the country and enjoy good lives, as well as contribute to Guyana’s development.

“Ensuring that we can create an environment that is conducive to allowing our youths to remain in this country and build Guyana, that is important…the youth are our future…I have seen the potential for youth to develop themselves,” she said.

FAMILY LIFE On that note, the PPP/C prime ministerial candidate highlighted the fact that she is very proud of her three children, as well as two grandchildren.

Unlike her first marriage, her second has been characterised by the kind of support that has contributed to her elevation as a professional in her field. “(My first marriage) didn’t last because he did not respect or support my decision to further my career and education…my husband now is very supportive of what I do.

His support helped me make my decision; [his support] was certainly a factor,” Mrs Harper declared.

She also disclosed to the Guyanese public that she became a mother at 17 years old, a situation that, according to her, made her stronger, with the support of her family.

“I was not made to feel less loved…my mother was disappointed because I had A-Levels to write, but she was very supportive. I know my mom had it hard because she was a single parent also, but she was strong and that is a strength that I took from her,” Mrs Harper said.

This thread of support that was weaved throughout her life, gave her confidence.

“Balancing all of it [family life and work] was challenging,” she admitted.

LITTLE HESITATION However, challenges aside,

the PPP/C prime ministerial candidate made it clear that she accepted the offer to be the incumbent President, Donald Ramotar’s running mate with little hesitation.

Her religious belief, relative to prayer, and the fact that she has to consult with her family were the grounds she cited as the basis of her hesitation.

“I accepted in the end,” she exclaimed.

Questioned about any skepticism she may have over being under the spotlight and in the public eye, Mrs Harper acknowledged that the circumstances would be new, but refocused her attention on her seven-point list.

“I want the issues to take the forefront, the issues that Guyanese want us to focus on,” she said.

According to her, she has viewed the opportunity as a new role and a new platform from which to serve Guyana and the Guyanese people.

“I was honoured to be selected by President Donald Ramotar to be the PPP/C prime ministerial candidate and I am excited to have the opportunity to serve in another capacity, in a higher capacity, to develop Guyana….I see it as public service,” she stressed.

She added, “This opportunity if it does present itself, would allow me to use my four decades of experience building Guyana’s reputation around the world to contribute even further to Guyana’s development, in particular the honing of policies to create more jobs, ensure that educational opportunities are available to all Guyanese, reducing crime and helping to create an environment where families are whole and an environment which would encourage our young people to stay and help build their country.”

An opportunity to serve is the PPP/C prime ministerial candidate’s general summation of the opportunity before her – a challenge for which she is ready and one that has already inspired a seven-point priority list.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 1, 2015

EDITORIAL APNU/AFC public disengagement NOT just their critics but politically independent Guyanese must be wondering why the two Opposition parties, APNU and AFC, that formalised their pre-election ‘marriage of convenience’ last Valentine’s Day, continue to avoid a mass public meeting to share their plans for the benefit of their own supporters and people at large.

Their preference to date has been, first, for elements of the joint ‘leadership’ to engage in a private caucus in the rarefy atmosphere of The Georgetown Club to announce their anti-PPP electoral alliance with special focus on the presidential candidate - APNU’s David Granger - and his prime

ministerial running-mate, AFC’s Moses Nagamootoo.

Then followed a press briefing on February 20 - expediently arranged to coincide with the birth anniversary of the late founder-leader of the PNC (the dominant partner of APNU). But neither Granger, the retired Brigadier of the Guyana Defence Force, nor his prime ministerial running mate, Nagamootoo, of the AFC, was present.

Yet another surprise is now scheduled for this Wednesday (March 4) when the APNU/AFC, political soul-mates for the coming May 11 elections, plan to officially launch their campaign.

Not, of course, with a customary

public meeting for such political events, as Guyanese are accustomed to, but rather in the Savannah Suites of the Pegasus Hotel.

APNU’s General Secretary, Joseph Harmon, ex-GDF soul-mate of Granger, is quoted in yesterday’s edition of another local newspaper as saying that “everyone is enthused…

The Guyanese people’s long wait for change won’t be a long wait anymore...”

A sober reality!

It’s such a pity that their acquaintance with the claimed knowledge of the “people’s enthusiasm for change” could not have been harnessed for announcement at a public mass meeting.

Ruel Johnson begs off from a discussion he himself started HAVING written to the press on the Guyana Prize and having received replies to statements he made, Ruel Johnson begs off from continuing the discussion (Letters, February 27, 2015) saying it is “ad hoc cross talking” in which he is too busy to engage and finds tedious.

He now says the discussion is too important for the media, and has to be done by bringing serious, knowledgeable people together around a table of some sort, I suppose.

I, like so many others, will never be invited to any discussion around any table at any time, which leaves me wholly dependent on the media for any discussion, a situation I much prefer anyhow.

Since a free press is a fundamental of democracy and good governance, providing a free and open forum where

ideas can be exchanged and debated, one must wonder what Johnson hopes for in a post-elections Guyana.

Is he looking for tables around which a privileged, hand-picked few will meet to make decisions for all of us? Will that constitute a free expression of ideas rather than the cross talking that a free press supports?

Johnson writes hopefully of a new dispensation, when writers and artists would be free of fear from victimisation, intimating perhaps that he has been so victimised. I am no proponent of the current government, but could he say when and how this occurred, especially given the fact that he won his two Guyana Prizes under the PPP administration?

Johnson is proud that he succeeded in getting the Guyana Prize deadline extended, and continues to exhort writers

to network and workshop to get their work ready for the competition and the goal of a prize, because he is well aware that the million-dollar prize can go to the best of a bad lot. It can be won by work that is poor, badly edited, and showing only some promise, making it incomplete.

I would advise new writers to have personal integrity -- an extremely rare commodity in Guyana -- and to stand above it all and take your time to think, write, review, and reflect, then rewrite; and when your work is good and ready, and is the best you can do, then you submit it.

Have your own standard of excellence, since Guyana has none.

I hope that the submitted works will be available to the public so that we can all have an opinion on who should win.

The secret society, back-door-

GUYANA

deal procedure that usually obtains in selecting the winners is not acceptable.

Hopefully, we will not see the same old faces, those multiple-time winners who are proud of their multiple wins and never stop to ask themselves why they have won one, two, three times.

Do they win over and over because there are not enough good writers around, or is it because they are favoured to win each time they submit their work, any work?

Either way, this is more than enough reason to scrap the prize and mount an investigation. Since Johnson has written to the media on so many occasions to hold government accountable, I am sure he, too, will insist on this investigation by whoever forms the next government.

RYHAAN SHAH

The reality is that for all the arranged support from their anti-government financial backers and media “friends”, the APNU/AFC are yet to offer a credible rationale for their political marriage of convenience that’s driven by shared hatred for governance by the PPP/C . That’s certainly NOT a realistic vision to further the economic, social and cultural progress of Guyana. The records are there to confirm the massive transformation that has occurred under democratic governance by the PPP/C. Time will tell. For now, we await the outcome of the APNU/AFC scheduled meeting with the public on Wednesday.

Research history before you vote I WASN’T born in the 1980s, but I am aware of what transpired twenty-three years ago.

Many of my family members made it their duty to notify and tell us, the younger generation, about the cries, crises and suffering the older Guyanese had to face.

As a young adult, I feel that everyone has a right to vote; but with wanting to vote, one must have a strong and valid reason as to why he/she wants to vote for a particular party, be it APNU/AFC or PPP/C. Don’t vote for PPP/C because that’s who your mom or dad says you should vote for, and don’t vote for APNU because you like someone in the party. Do a survey. Read history about when the PNC governed. Read all about what transpired under them.

An elderly woman recently asked a young man for whom he was going to vote. The young man replied, “I was never in Guyana during any

of the elections”. The woman told him that he is here now, so he has to vote, as it is his right!

He replied that he would go out and cast his ballot. She asked him for whom he would vote, and his reply evoked a literal ‘cuss’ out.

The woman then shouted: “Why will you vote for them?

You young folks know not of the things we went through in the 80s, when I was in my 20s!

You are only seeing what’s happening now! But if you go back to the history, you will realise that Guyana today is a 100% better!”

This just shows how many of the youngsters these days do not know why they are voting for the party they choose. So my advice to you youngsters is have a valid reason as to why you’re voting; and better yet, find out which party is responsible for Guyana’s development.

TERI PHANG

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 1, 2015

Contrary to portrayal, AFC/APNU # Move doesn’t occupy moral high-ground Foward THE Coalition of the Alliance For Change (AFC) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is actively selling itself as a pro-democratic force in our country.

These parties make big claims of their morality and sell themselves as being above others.

I believe in democracy. I believe that the people of a country should have a right to choose who would lead them. I am a strong believer that leaders should hold themselves to the standards to which they hold others.

The coalition is not a pro-democratic alliance. The leaders and supporters of this alliance make big claims of this union. I would like to point at the fact that this union has a questionable beginning. The fact that neither of these parties had free and fair elections to elect leaders within the party should effectively remove the term “pro-democratic” as an adjective to this alliance.

It also raises questions as to whether the undemocratic leaders of these parties compromised the parties’

elections to ensure the coalition was possible.

The fraudulent nature of the members of this coalition has also been highlighted by former AFC members Sixtus Edwards and Balwant Persaud. These former members highlighted issues such as poor accountability, undemocratic elections, and cronyism. The members of these parties are yet to give account of this.

I believe that these parties are not occupants of the moral high ground in our country. They have used deceptive tactics. It’s not plausible to have undemocratic forces heading a democratic country. It is simply contradictory.

If the parties find it impossible to account for their own spending, how would they account for a country’s spending? Only the deluded would ever describe this coalition as credible and pro-democratic.

DAVENDRA KISSOON

What do you expect from a snake?

Only treachery and cunning!!

IT struck me like a thunderbolt when I read that the AFC has joined the APNU (PNC) in a coalition to contest the upcoming May 11 election.

Mr Khemraj Ramjattan, in 2011 in New York, spoke to a group of us in Queens that he would NEVER join in a coalition with the PNC. How tragic! Does he suffer from amnesia? How can he join the PNC when those same people stole and rigged election after election in Guyana?

Everyone in Guyana knows that, except Khemraj Ramjattan and Moses Nagamootoo.

Well, what do you expect from a snake? Only treachery and cunning; and that is what Nagamootoo possesses.

He so badly wants to be President that he can sell his soul to achieve that goal, and so I ask the people of Berbice – and the Corentyne especially -- to beware of the snake man.

What has either of these two gentlemen done for Guyana? In fact, what has the PNC done for Guyana?

Nothing, except to have overseen the destruction and pauperisation of this beautiful country!

I, and thousands like me, had to flee that beautiful land to escape the thuggery and banditry of the PNC. I have returned there several times and have seen the progress and development taking place under the PPP Government; a Government that cares.

I would like to make a special appeal to the people of Berbice and Corentyne not to vote for the AFC, because

a vote for the AFC is a vote for the APNU (PNC). Is this what you want - to bring back the PNC in Guyana to once again loot and destroy the country?

Think hard before you cast your vote. Have you forgotten those difficult days when there was no proper water supply; when there were blackouts for days at a time; when there was no flour to make your roti and puri; when there was no dhall; when a tin of sardines in your home would land you in jail, and when there was no aloo?

Think people, and look at what you have today. Whenever I return to Guyana and I go to the markets --Skeldon, Rose Hall, Port Mourant -- I think I am in the USA. Who has allowed you to have all these things? The PPP! And just a friendly reminder: Have you forgotten how many TOLL GATES there were on the Corentyne road?

If you don’t remember, let me remind you that there were THREE of them; and if you want those TOLL Gates back, then vote for the AFC/APNU(PNC).This is how they would take revenge on the people of the Corentyne, by bringing back the dreaded TOLL GATES. I can go on and on, but I will stop here with this timely reminder: ‘Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it’, according to the infamous Jim Jones.

RAMESH BUDHRAM (New Jersey-based Berbician)

WPA needs educating on how international financial institutions work

THE Working People’s Alliance (WPA) has reportedly taken offence at the IDB’s continuing to honour financial commitments to the Guyana Government on the ground that elections are due to be held shortly and therefore there is an absence of parliamentary oversight over financial expenditure of resources provided by the Bank.

This argument is at best specious and lacking in any understanding on how the IDB -- and for that matter, other international financial institutions -- conduct their business.

The first point to note is that loans and grants are not given to promote partisan interests, but to advance the overall good, regardless of which political party is elected to government.

This is why there can be no hiatus in the operations of the Bank, whose modus operandi is based on predictability, political stability and continuity; and not on considerations based on narrow partisan self-interest, as is being suggested

by the WPA. The WPA ought to be aware that even during the days of PNC dictatorial and minority rule, both the IDB and the IMF did business with the then regime even though significant sums of money were spent on ill-conceived projects, many of which never saw the light of day.

One consequence of such reckless financial mismanagement by the PNC regime was a crippling foreign debt burden which at one time consumed over ninety per cent of the country’s revenues.

I think the IDB ought to be commended for the confidence it has displayed in the country, rather than the unwarranted attacks it has been receiving from the WPA and the political Opposition as a whole.

HYDAR ALLY

movement is flawed

I AM one of the younger members of society who grew up in the time of the PPP/C. I have seen many developments in my country. I understand the importance of elections to a modern day society. I also value the informed opinion of the people.

Recently, I came across the #MoveFoward campaign on Facebook. Their campaign includes posting a picture of themselves, along with their opinion. This campaign is targeted at the youths of Guyana, mostly those born post-1992. The main objective of the campaign is to drive youths away from looking at what happened before 1992.

I was born in 1994, but that shouldn’t stop me or anyone my age from knowing what went on before my birth.

As I was looking at the television show “Da Vinci’s Demons”, I came across a statement that I think is of great importance to this movement. The statement is: “History is a lie that has been honed like a weapon by people who have suppressed the truth”. I find this statement of particular importance because I think this movement, whether consciously or not, is in some way suppressing the truth.

History is very important, it has a lot of relevance in a modern society. I’m a firm believer that the present state of the country should be compared and contrasted with the past. Judging the present in isolation would not give a proper representation of the truth. Knowledge of the past gives us a better understanding of where we have come from.

This movement is preventing the population from seeing how far we have come as a nation. How would we possibly know what progress we have made if we don’t know where we’ve come from?

The previous administration ruled Guyana for 28 years. In that time, Guyana became the second poorest country in the Western Hemisphere; the Guyana dollar inflated 3150%; Guyana moved from 50th ranked country in per capita GDP to 133rd; racism was much more prevalent; the press was muzzled; elections were rigged; Guyana was highly indebted; the health sector fell through, among other things.

This movement has shown strong support of the same party, with some of the same members. We have come a really long way as a country. This movement is based on the flawed principle that this time period should be viewed in isolation.

I find it mind boggling that members of the society are showing a public ignorance of history and are refusing to accept its relevance. Many members of the previous administration that mismanaged the country’s resources are still here today. It’s a shame to see this blatant neglect of history.

I think that no one should try to hinder the delivery of education. I would like youths of our society to help foster education in history, and not try to halt it.

DAVENDRA KISSOON

Let all Guyanese know PLEASE publish this often, clearly and boldly to remind everyone in Guyana that: “A vote for the AFC is a vote for the PNC!” Thank you.

KRISH LALL

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 1, 2015

A COMBINED CONFUSION - How can they win an election?

IT is a foregone conclusion that the APNU/AFC coalition is headed for failure. That coalition of sorts is headed down a road to nowhere, due to the expressed fact that, immediately after a win, it will become a one-man show; meaning a PNC/APNU controlled government.

This is scaring the daylight out of the AFC. They were of the mistaken belief that the major political partner comprised people of trust, but this is not so.

They have come to the realisation that a solo event awaits them should the coalition

wins This is not what they bargained for.

When that “unity agreement” was made, the AFC entered into it in good faith, thinking that the combined whole would showcase a party of strength and unity. But that ‘unity part’ of the whole is sadly missing when you view the situation in real life. What was said behind closed doors and what is being done on the ground right now are two separate entities. The reality is talk unity at the negotiating table, but in actuality the one-party idea is uppermost in your mind.

Meantime, APNU supporters are busy selling the idea that the APNU is only

using the AFC to get into office, and that Nagamootoo is their trump card. The exact quotation used in that conversation is: “We only using them two, soon as we get in office case close.” Another quote goes like this: “You think Granger gon leh them two c...ie run things?”

This is what you get from the ground, an all PNC/APNU control talk should they win the election.

So, with all of this going on, my question to my AFC friends is: Do you think that section of the voting public will take kindly to those

words? I think not. They are going to see clearly through the scheme which tells them that a vote for the so-called unity coalition is a vote for PNC/APNU to take total control of Guyana. That is their fear!

Their dilemma is compounded further by the fact that President Ramotar has made a strategic move in choosing Mrs Elisabeth Harper as his prime ministerial running mate. She is a strong Afro-Guyanese technocrat lady who will make a tremendous impact in the voting privileges of the masses.

It is the typical slam dunk you see at NBA finals; those disgruntled AFC supporters will not vote for the coalition.

NEIL ADAMS

A strong female technocrat will make a difference next election FEMALES are becoming more and more independent with each passing year. For example, starting with Guyana’s first female President, we have the late Janet Jagan who served tremendously well for two great years.

Then there is Brenda Bernadette Aaron, who was one of the first women to be Commanding Officer of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC). Lucy Golas was Guyana’s first female pilot, appointed in the year 1961.

Dr Shanti Singh is Director of the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS); Ms. Gail Teixeira, Presidential Advisor, has held several ministerial portfolios since the PPP/C came to

office in 1992, and is currently PPP/C Parliamentary Chief Whip; Lyla Kissoon was one of Guyana’s biggest business magnates, owner of the Kissoon Group of Companies; Priya Devi Manikchand is an Attorney-at-Law who was formerly attached to the Legal Aid Clinic. She was elected to Parliament in 2006 with the portfolio. Priya Manickchand is at present the Minister of Education.

And lastly, Ms Melcita Bovell is the Acting Assistant Chief Education Officer.

Now with Mrs Elisabeth Harper being chosen as Prime Ministerial Candidate, we are seeing that women will forever play a major role in the country, in the PPP/C, and also in society; and this deci-

sion will definitely have a positive impact on our young females.

Mrs Harper started as a Clerk II (General) at the Registry in the year 1976-1980, then moved to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the Administration Division as a Foreign Service Officer in the year 1981-1984. Later in the year 1984, she moved to a higher position in the same ministry, but this time as a Foreign Service Officer II under the Protocol Division, where she stayed till 1988.

In that same year, Ms Harper was transferred to the Political Affairs Division as a Foreign Service Officer III (Latin America and The Caribbean), where she served up until 1991. In 1990-1991, she became

Head of the Frontiers Division, and was also Consular Officer at the Guyana High Commission in London during the period 1991-1995. In the year 1996 she became the Director of the Department of the Americas and Asia, and performed that role up until 2001, when she became Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

I am sure Mrs. Elisabeth Harper will, by all means, work hard and be dedicated to our nation’s best interest, having a very strong educational background and influential mind in many governmental/political organisations in Guyana.

TERI PHANG

It is time to retire from writing, Freddie!

THE daily ramblings of Freddie Kissoon, while highly amusing, reflect the deficiencies in Guyanese society. It is not that everything is expected to be perfect but a closer reading of Kissoon’s columns paints a true picture of what is wrong. A major part of the problem seems to be not so much with companies and their services, but with people like Kissoon, whose hypocrisy is exposed on a daily basis.

Some time ago, Kissoon went to the airport with the intent to visit Trinidad with a family member for some function. The issue is that Kissoon realised, only on the day of departure, that his family’s passport was expired.

Kissoon called on a fellow journalist to fast track the renewal of this passport.

You might say what is wrong with that request, but two things readily come to mind:

Kissoon circumvented the usual renewal process, which can be justified because of the circumstances, but he attacks others who commit similar discretions.

Another issue is Kissoon’s lack of attention to important matters. How could one not check his documents before an important event such as a flight? While the issue might not be so much on the passport situation, it is a reflection of how Kissoon treats information relating to people and issues he writes about.

He pays little attention to the veracity of information, which has led to him having to contend with many lawsuits. Something is wrong with someone who gets his data wrong on so many occasions.

Of interest is the fact that Kissoon rarely, if ever, apologises for the hurt he has caused to countless people. This brings us to his

column on 2015-02-26: “Republic Bank messes up my daughter smart phone purchase.” Kissoon claims that he went to the Digicel Office to purchase a smart phone on a deal. The problem for Kissoon was that he did not realise that he had to provide proof of address. Again Kissoon’s traits appear -do what you think is right, and verify after.

Kissoon claimed that he told the Digicel personnel that he would not want to jeopardise their business by accepting special treatment.

A careful analysis of the situation reveals that if Kissoon had carefully read the advertisement, he would have realised that an address was necessary for the purchaser. He would have had enough time to sort this matter out.

Rather than putting himself on a high pedestal of principles, Kissoon’s daughter could have had her phone if he had paid more attention to details.

Sadly, this characteristic permeates his writing. The daughter of the late Vic Puran chastised Kissoon for the poisonous attack that the latter launched on Mr. Puran. Puran’s daughter Mikhaila was very offended with Kissoon’s attack, claiming that the claims that Kissoon made about her father were pure fabrication.

Mikhaila summed up Kissoon expertly with the following, “You, Mr. Kissoon, are a coward! It is evident that you are all dried up and looking for your last five minutes of fame. The few who read your column, perhaps for comic relief, are too smart to buy the trash you are selling.”

Freddie Kissoon needs to retire from writing before it is too late! Maybe it is already too late!

RAKESH SINGH

SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 1, 2015

The MAY

ELECTION day is 71 days away. And currently, the people have no clue as to what platforms the contesting parties are advocating for the good of this dear land of Guyana.

Indeed, some ‘sound bite’ platforms (aims and principles of a party) came to the fore at the APNU-AFC’s ‘togetherness’ event and its aftermath, but nothing resembling clearly articulated policies, programmes, and projects.

This ‘platform’ void is ever present and is expanding because the Opposition groupings are busy with cementing their uneasy

T

his ‘platform’ void is ever present and is expanding because the Opposition groupings are busy with cementing their uneasy ties like getting to know each other as in arranged marriages where the bride and bridegroom only meet for the first time on their wedding day; and where they exploit that day and the next few only to learn much as the coveted prize still has to be won!

ties like getting to know each other as in arranged marriages where the bride and bridegroom only meet for the first time on their wedding day; and where they exploit that day and the next few only to learn much as the coveted prize still has to be won!

Meanwhile, as the APNU-AFC’s ‘getting to know each other’ campaign is well underway, the newly-wedded parties are feverishly allocating ministerial and cabinet positions to all and sundry as if the May 11, 2015 General and Regional Elections already have come and gone.

At least, the incumbent PPP/C Government has its ongoing programmes earmarked for the next year or two; but unfortunately, some of these are noteworthy capital projects currently held in the Opposition APNU-AFC captivity.

The message is now loud and clear that APNU-AFC is entering this election with deep-seated arrogance and omnipotence; it is really not difficult to ‘sus’ out this conclusion. The APNU-AFC’s one-seat parliamentary majority has so titillated its political power appetite and imagination that it has come to believe that only the APNU-AFC can dish out salvation to the people of this green land of Guyana.

And so, its gradual unveiled message on a poster could carry the caption ‘APNU-AFC Against Every Thing’. Of course, almost daily, there is reinforcement of this caption’s message. For instance, listening to the regular outpourings and pontifications of the sergeant-general of the APNU-AFC gives the impression

9

11election campaign

that the PPP/C Government has squandered the goodwill of the people and has reduced this country to shame and disgust; and so, APNU-AFC vows to review most if not all of the PPP/C Government’s projects.

To begin with, this approach is a stretch because looking over all of this Government’s or any Government’s projects will consume considerable time to the point

PPP/C presidential candidate Donald Ramotar

PPP/C prime ministerial candidate Elisabeth Harper

of excess; so how then will the people see APNU-AFC’s proposed innovative programmes that it so boasts about, never mind the implementation of such innovative programmes and indeed, their funding sources to bring them to fruition?

APNU-AFC has a little over two months to tell the people of this great land of Guyana what its informed and innovative platforms are, and that will soon bring salvation to the people of this country; and merely mentioning platforms will be necessary but not sufficient because we - the people - must know how APNU-AFC intends to fund its proposed programmes arising from the platforms and how such programmes will be evaluated to determine their impact on the nation.

Another point worth mentioning is that presenting platforms and their accompaniments repeatedly may be an effective way to disseminate the message. At least, the advertising experts agree on this approach. But these advertising people may not be correct if APNU-AFC or any party has a suspect product in store for the people.

APNU/AFC presidential candidate David Granger

APNU/AFC prime ministerial candidate Moses Nagamootoo

The incumbent PPP/C Government, too, will have to present platforms with their appropriate accompaniments.

But the incumbent has an advantage when it comes to presenting platforms, in that there is no need for haste, due to its existing programmes and projects outlined in the current national budget, many of which may be rolled over into another year; the people have access to this information and are witnesses to the outcomes and impact of many of these projects.

However, notwithstanding this incumbent’s advantage, the task of presenting its platforms now has to be in a state of readiness.

And talking about incumbency, incumbents at election times do have a major advantage with huge turnouts at the polls. The incumbent PPP/C ruling party, therefore, has to work toward developing a mammoth turnout at the May 11 poll, especially with the Preliminary List of Electors at 567,125, representing an increase of 75,000 electors from year 2014. (First printed in: themisirpost.wordpress.com)

CARICOM’S NEW NEGATIVE VIBES – and a welcome plus Analysis by Rickey Singh ACCORDING to unofficial reports, the just-concluded two-day Inter-Sessional Meeting of Caribbean Community Heads of Government could hardly boost optimism for new initiatives to overcome prevailing disillusionment resulting from lack of commitment to implement approved decisions.

Held in The Bahamas and chaired by host Prime Minister Perry Christie, the official communiqué of the February 2627 meeting was unavailable at the time of writing up to late yesterday afternoon, though promised to be forthcoming by an evidently hard-pressed Communications Unit.

Although the official text would not reflect any of the negative developments in relation to decisions sought but not taken. Or, for that matter the mood at caucus sessions on issues pertaining to either foreign policy co-ordination as well as regional security, the unofficial indicators could hardly generate enthusiasm for the immediate future.

As a regional journalist committed to the unity and progress of the 15-member regional economic integration, now in its 42nd year of existence, I share hopes that the Heads of Government and Foreign Ministers who were depressed at the closing session of the two-day event in The Bahamas,

could yet find common ground to resolve outstanding issues of much importance by the time of their annual summit this coming July.

Unresolved sensitive matters included economic development; regional security, as well as foreign policy co-ordination. As a consequence, there was neither desirable unanimity on common approaches in responding to serious global threats from the ‘ISIS’ bloc of Islamist terrorists, nor on strengthening of foreign policy co-ordination. For example, election of Community citizens for top-level international offices.

The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who has lead responsibility among Community leaders for regional security, is reported to have failed in her bid to win required unanimous support on the sensitive matter of a common position in relation to responses to the global threats posed by ISIS. NEED FOR CONSENSUS Need for ‘consensus’ proved elusive also in relation to a second initiative by the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne, for the election in Malta of a new Commonwealth Secretary General this coming November in Malta.

Prime Minister Browne has been canvassing support for his fellow national, Sir Ronald Sanders, with Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Planning and Sustainable Development, Dr Bhoe Tewarie, and Dominica-born British citizen

and a former Attorney General as other contestants for the top Commonwealth post.

However, when the issue was discussed on the margins of the triennial Cuba/CARICOM summit in Havana last year by Community leaders, nine of a dozen available votes were in favour of Sanders’ candidature. Hence the subsequent quest in The Bahamas for a ‘consensus’ candidate which did not materialise.

POSITIVE MOVE One positive and most welcome initiative agreed to by the CARICOM meeting in The Bahamas was to establish a special committee of the Community’s Finance Ministers to work with the Caribbean Association of Bankers to develop a common plan to combat the highly undesirable image being fostered abroad of this region as a “high-risk area for financial services….”

Happily, this initiative, once implemented, could well prove a much needed plus for CARICOM - an integration movement seemingly moving across distressing waters at present. (Rickey Singh is a noted Caribbean journalist based in Barbados)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 1, 2015

Taking the Pulse Series, Part 2…

CORRUPTION

Contribution from Lawrence Lachmansingh, David Singh & Kojo Parris This is the second of three articles written by the authors. The articles are focused on the issues of trust, corruption and violence. To assist us, we have tapped the University of Vanderbilt’s Latin America Public Opinion Project (LAPOP). This survey of public opinion has been conducted in Guyana since 2006 and is perhaps the only such comprehensive dataset available. We consider that it is sufficiently objective to be used widely and without any serious challenge to its credibility. The dataset is available free of charge at The Americas Barometer by the Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP), www.LapopSurveys.org.

IN our series we strive to offer zero ‘answers’, while presenting the data in accessible and dispassionate prose. We certainly cannot claim to have conclusively resolved any of the challenges Guyana faces, but we hope to contribute towards the forging of a wider, more comprehensive and trusting consensus on some key issues. Indeed, we know that to create policy, rigorous assessment of existing data and contextualising within a regional and global environment would be required.

In this article analysis mostly excludes 2006 as at that time the survey was limited to assessing how serious corruption was seen as a problem and how common it was in aggregate.

As with many developing countries, corruption is a complex, topical and much discussed issue in Guyana. Overall, the Guyana data indicate that corruption, as measured by solicitation of bribes, has decreased from 2012 to 2014 across all sectors evaluated with the most significant change experienced within the court system, where the percentage dropped from a high of 27.7% in 2012 to 17.3% in 2014 (Figure 1).

That said, the court system consistently showing the highest level of corruption throughout the period and across sectors surveyed, with the lowest level of corruption in 2008 (8.9%) which was still the highest rate across sectors for that year. The data shows that corruption related to inducements to obtain health and education services are consistently low, with 1.6% reported in 2014, and the highest recorded for health services in 2010 of 5.4%.

At the other end of the scale, reported instances of bribery related to the municipal government, courts and police were consistently high. In all but one instance, more than 13% of respondents who had business with these authorities, indicated that they had been asked to pay a bribe.

Overall, rural areas appear more exposed to corruption than urban areas (Figure 2). For the court systems, as much as 94.1% of the corruption reported came from rural areas. This prevalence in rural areas is true across all sectors, with the greatest balance being within the health services.

CORRUPTION AS A SYSTEMIC PART OF SOCIETY

Over 90% of respondents in the LAPOP survey have said that corruption is either ‘common’ or ‘very common’ (Figure 3). Corruption was ranked among the top three most serious “problems” by the population surveyed over the period 2010 to 2014, moving from a fourth ranking in 2008 (6.7%) to a high of 19.5% in 2012 and 15.9% in 2014. About 16% of respondents indicate that corruption is the most serious issue facing Guyana in 2014, compared to 7% in 2006.

Over the survey period, over 25% of respondents have indicated that bribery is justifiable, peaking at 35.5% in 2008 and dropping to a rate of 25.8% in 2014. This seems to be the norm across the English-speaking Caribbean. Despite the level of reported corruption being lower for Jamaica, with an average of 4% compared to Guyana’s average of 8%, 32% of Jamaicans surveyed indicated that bribery is justifiable. Indeed, the profile of corruption in Guyana, especially in municipal government, the courts, and policing is very similar across Belize and Trinidad.

Perception of corruption versus actual corruption, and the extent to which corruption is accepted as a societal norm are significant issues to be further evaluated. A large disparity between perception and reality cannot be a healthy basis for a well-ordered society. Equally, accepting this feature, failing to build systems that reduce this tension, or trading rebuttals from either side to reduce the disparity, cannot be helpful in growing a healthier and more sustainable society.

When we started this process, we recognised that the ‘Corruption’ issue is inherently controversial. The evidence is that corruption, perceived or actual, is of major concern and impact on the lives of our people. Among the questions raised by the LAPOP data are: ► Does corruption pose a major threat to the future of Guyana, and what levels are realistically acceptable in a young developing society? ► Are there ethnic, geographic or other patterns to corruption that disproportionately affect different groups in society, and how does this variation affect growth of a harmonious and peaceful society? ► How can we measure the extent of other damaging forms of corruption, such as private sector corruption and political corruption? ► What would be an effective theory of change for responsible institutions to embrace in combatting corruption?

We thank the Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP) and its major supporters (the United States Agency for International Development, the United Nations Development Program, the Inter-American Development Bank, and Vanderbilt University) for making the data available.

We have worked also with an analyst from Corruption Watch in South Africa, unconnected to our part of the world, to analyse the data.

For those who wish to share their thoughts on these pieces, we may be reached via email at 3Guyanese@gmail.com.

Lawrence Lachmansingh

David Singh

Kojo Parris

SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 1, 2015

DECONSTRUCTING the OPPOSITION’S agenda

11

PART

1

By Teayken A. Dhigg

An agenda devoid of interest for country and people TO say that the Opposition’s agenda in Guyana is to oppose, would be giving it much undeserved credit. If it were simply a case of opposing, then it may not be too unfair to posit that the current political situation could have been different. Of course, that’s being optimistic.

That aside, generally, opposing government’s polices and programmes to be implemented is considered routine for Oppositions, but then all Oppositions are not the same.

Life generally gives us opposites; night and day, etc.

Being in the Opposition is no different. There are those who oppose objectively and put country and people’s welfare first. In these cases, wranglings tend to cease when issues of national importance and development arise. Then, of course, there are those who oppose for the sake of just doing so without concern for country and people. They rigidly box themselves in to stay true to their title.

However, in fairness to the latter, in some cases, it has not been indisposed to demonstrating traits of the former.

In other words it can rise above partisanship. By this brief classification, it simply means that Opposition Parties in general can divorce themselves from being partisan and rise, whenever the occasion beckons, to demonstrate a sense of profound patriotism. Also by this said brief classification, it begs the question, to which category Guyana’s Opposition belongs.

Before venturing into the realm of related classification, it would be more than useful to try and achieve some semblance of understanding, even though tedious, of the Opposition’s agenda. To try and grasp this, it would become necessary to deconstruct the agenda. Clearly, this first in-

Y

oung people should note that this desperation for power by the Opposition at the expense of people and country, while glaringly obvious to them following the 2011 general elections, has always been a characteristic. History will so vindicate.

stalment of this ‘Deconstructing the Opposition’s agenda’ series would be woefully inadequate to comprehend the underpinnings of this deconstruction. First and foremost, the Opposition has to be judged on its public pronouncements and actions.

During the life of the tenth Parliament, in which the combined Opposition held a one-seat majority, it failed miserably to foster any semblance of interest for nation and people. This blatant demonstration of such non-interest and which has been thoroughly articulated and debated in the public domain, remained the hallmark.

The refusal to support major transformative projects like the Amaila Hydro, the Specialty Hospital and the expansion of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport along with scuttling the Anti-Money Launder bill, was counterproductive to the welfare of the nation and its people, and that’s putting it mildly. Many questions were, and still being asked; why would an Opposition that advocates for a better country, cal-

Greece Loses, EU Wins

By Gwynne Dyer THE first round of the battle for the euro is over, and Germany has won. The whole European Union won, really, but the Germans set the strategy. Technically, everybody just kicked the can down the road four months by extending the existing bail-out arrangements for Greece, but what was really revealed in the past week is that the Greeks can’t win. Not now, not later.

The left-wing Syriza Party stormed to power in Greece last month promising to ditch the austerity that has plunge a third of the population below the poverty line and to renegotiate the country’s massive $270 billion bail-out with the EU and the International Monetary Fund. Exhausted Greek voters just wanted an end to six years of pain and privation, and Syriza offered them hope. But it has been in retreat ever since.

In the election campaign, Syriza promised 300,000 new jobs and a big boost in the monthly minimum wage (from $658 to $853). After last week’s talks with the EU and the IMF, all that’s left is a promise to expand an existing programme that provides temporary work for the unemployed, and an “ambition” to raise the minimum wage “over time”.

Its promise to provide free electricity and subsidised food for families without incomes remains in place, but Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’s government has promised the EU and the IMF that its “fight against the humanitarian crisis (will have) no negative fiscal effect.” In other words, it won’t spend extra money on these projects unless it makes equal cuts somewhere else.

Above all, its promise not to extend the bail-out programme had to be dropped. Instead, it got a four-month “bridging loan” that came with effectively the same harsh restrictions on Greek government spending (although Syriza was allowed to rewrite them in its Turn to page 19 ►

lously deny the people the benefits from these projects and put them at risk of the consequences of the non-passage of the Anti-Money Laundering bill?

Despite which generation one belongs to, these projects would have propelled the country’s modernisation trajectory onwards to a developed nation, thereby securing a brighter future for all; the operative word being all!

Their supporters would have benefited too! Many, if not all, have deemed the Opposition’s actions as irresponsible in an insatiable appetite for power with no regard for people’s welfare. This hunger for power is the heart of their agenda and with every “heartbeat” being a sound of desperation.

Young people should note that this desperation for power by the Opposition at the expense of people and country, while glaringly obvious to them following the 2011 general elections, has always been a characteristic. History will so vindicate. It is with this history and their actions over the past three years, well history too, which need to be further deconstructed to reveal the real face of the Opposition. For many, such deconstruction may not be necessary for they have seen through the mask. Others may have a difficulty in even noticing the mask.

This series is geared at just that; removing the mask.

That aside, coming back to categorising Guyana’s Opposition, based on what was mentioned and the known facts, it would be highly improbable, to the point of being impossible, to place it within any of the two groups noted above. That makes Guyana unique in this regard; its Opposition is in a category all by itself. More on the agenda in subsequent instalments.

12

Respecting our leaders and the position they hold (PART 1)

Munro, as someone cleared to cover the White House, is expected to adhere to protoA FEW months ago, one of the stories that col for press conferences with the President, dominated American news outlets was the whether these rules have been written down heated exchange between U.S. President or not. Plain decency itself dictates that you Barack Obama and White House corre- wait until someone, anyone, finishes before spondent, Neil Munro, after the latter in- you interrupt them. The thing is, this is not terrupted the head of state during his Rose an isolated incident but a clear pattern of utter disrespect that Barack Obama has been Garden press conference. subjected to since assuming I saw one commentator office. We can disregard the making the comparison of Fox News propaganda pun‘similar’ disrespect levelled at dits like Hannity, Limbaugh Obama’s predecessor, George and company, and the Tea W. Bush, by citing the booing Party lunatics, and we would of Bush by Obama supporters still have enough evidence as the former President made of a trend. his scheduled departure from About three years ago, the ceremony, and the incithe most glaring incident dent where an Iraqi threw a was when Republican Joe shoe at Bush while he was Wilson interrupted Obama’s holding a press conference in State of the Union address, the capital city, Baghdad. repeatedly shouting, “You That’s comparing chalk lie, you lie!” Another poliand cheese – in the first intician, Arizona governor Jan stance, a victorious crowd Brewer was seen wagging heckling the victor’s preU.S. President her finger at the President decessor from a different Barack Obama either late last year or earlier political organisation is not unprecedented; and in the second instance, this year as if he was an unruly child that she we have an Iraqi citizen expressing his anger, had to discipline. Another Republican lawalbeit foolishly, at the leader of what was an maker last year publicly referred to the size of Michelle Obama’s behind. While there is occupying force.

In the case of Obama, what we have con- clearly something added that is driving this sistently had is an unprecedented level of dis- disrespect, that is something for another artirespect levelled at the Commander-in-Chief of cle: I simply wanted to focus on the surface the most powerful democracy in the world, not phenomenon because it got me to thinking simply from disgruntled citizens but from peo- about our own situation here.

I recall an example that involved one of ple of sections of society from which respect for the Office of the President is expected to our former presidents who was attending a children’s event at the National Cultural be part and parcel.

By Keith Burrowes

SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 1, 2015

Centre. As is protocol, at the end of the event, the audience was asked to remain seated as the President and his entourage left. The heckling that erupted from the parents, and which I believe was eventually mimicked by KEITH the children themselves, was as shameful as it BURROWES was vulgar and sad.

There are several ministers whom I’ve known for years, before they assumed their current positions. I’ve had impassioned occurring in the recent past, at least not on the discussions with several of them over my in- level of those against the Obama presidency. sistence on referring to them by their official Our leaders may argue tooth and nail against titles, Mr. or Mrs. Minister, whenever we in- each other both in and out of Parliament, teract. The usual counter I hear is that this sort but overall there remains an environment of of thing became a standard in the Burnham era civility in public discourse that America can with the implication, if I’m reading it correct- perhaps use as example. Our media, also, can be accused of many ly, that calling things – from distortion someone you ‘In the case of Obama, what we have to incompetence – but know by their title was more a consistently had is an unprecedent- for the most part a basic sign of authoried level of disrespect levelled at the respect for our senior from all parties tarianism than it Commander-in-Chief of the most leaders prevails. was a true sign powerful democracy in the world, True enough, all of respect. not simply from disgruntled citizens, systems break down My point, and I remain but from people of sections of society eventually, and there adamant about from which respect for the Office of may come a day when politicians begin this, is that it the President is expected to be part our making thinly veiled does not matter and parcel’ comments on one anwhether we used other’s physical deto hang out until fects or engage in open day-break drinking beers and talking nonsense before you discussion of the size of the posteriors of became a member of cabinet – on assuming their opponent’s spouses. That said, I office, you are owed the respect of being ad- don’t think we’ve reached the zenith when dressed properly. This also extends to people it comes to politics and civility in Guyana. whom I may not be on the best of terms with Children joining their parents in heckling the nation’s leader may have been a step in as well.

The incident at the National Cultural Cen- the wrong direction, but we can take heart tre aside, I cannot readily think of any similar that this seems a sole exception to the rule. infringements of or opposition to protocol To be continued.

ELECTIONS CORNER Starting today and continuing until Elections, the Chronicle newspaper will be publishing a weekly feature from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) in the interest of disseminating pertinent information to the public of various aspects of the electoral process.

THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING IN every society that endorses and encourages the free expression of the people, voting is the ultimate expression of democracy at work. One of the key pillars of any such establishment is the right of every eligible person to vote. This fundamental right is accompanied by responsibilities that must be taken seriously by all citizens.

While the Laws of Guyana speak to Compulsory Registration, but not Compulsory Voting, it is still very important that you exercise your right to vote on Elections Day. When you vote, you choose the representatives who will make the laws and policies that govern how we live together among other things. It is essential to note that leaders elected by a handful of persons do not genuinely reflect democracy.Therefore, one must make the time to vote at the General and Regional Elections on May 11, 2015 and be a part of a true majority in a

democratic process.

EVERY VOTE COUNTS Some people fail to vote for many reasons - lack of awareness, apathy, confusion, or even the misguided belief that “my single vote won’t make a difference.”

When this latter attitude becomes pervasive, it can be a severe problem in any democratic society. The statistics show that voter apathy seems to be increasing in Guyana. This is a trend from which citizens need to free themselves, and embrace the responsibility associated with voting. By May 11, having become an informed voter, it is imperative that you vote to make a difference in the lives of your family, your community and the industry in which you work. Remember, every vote counts!

Guyana’s democracy exists upon the principle of free and fair elections in which every eligible citizen must cast a vote for the

political party of his/her choice on Election Day. Guyanese must also work assiduously to ensure that the electoral process is conducted in accordance with this principle.

It is the responsibility of all Guyanese to protect this electoral process, so do not withdraw your participation. As tedious as the voting process may seem, your full participation is required.

It is a fact that whether you vote or not, someone will be elected President and make decisions that affect you and our beloved country for many years to come. Don’t you think you must have a say in who governs you?

YOUR VOTE IS SECRET After your ballot has been properly folded and placed into the transparent ballot box, no one will know for which party you have voted. You can be assured that your vote will forever remain a secret. The freedom to make your own

choice on Election Day is totally yours.

VOTING EARLY Although it is preferable that you cast your vote early on Elections Day, please note that voting does continue throughout the day, commencing at 06:00h (6am) and ends at 18:00h (6pm). All eligible electors should make a special effort to get out as early as possible and vote. Try to avoid waiting until it is too late to cast your vote.

Encourage your family members, neighbours and friends to vote early. If any urgent unforeseen circumstance prevents you from voting on Election Day, be very assured that no one can vote in your place.

Long before Elections (Polling) Day, you should ensure that you check for your name on the Revised List of Electors and the Official List of Electors which will be posted on the walls of prominent places in your community as well as on GECOM’s Website: www.gecom.org.gy

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VENGEANCE POLITICS What motivates Opposition’s vengeance?

By Shaun Michael Samaroo WHAT motivates Parliamentary Opposition leaders to discharge nasty anti-Government venom against their own nation’s democratically-elected Government?

These leaders spew a litany of woes, accusing Government of running an evil empire lording it over Guyanese. The harsh rhetoric flows with frequent nastiness, and we see the rapid erosion of Guyana’s image, with the detrimental impact of demoralising the Guyanese nation. Guyanese simply have had enough of the grotesque strife and dissent that stifles major development projects and national initiatives.

Do the Opposition spokespeople speak truth? Or do they exercise deception and cynical slyness to cripple the Government from governing effectively? And if so, why do they act this way? What motivates Moses Nagamootoo and Khemraj Ramjattan to lead the Opposition into this ugly oppositional

W

racy: we exercised our right to vote, in choosing, freely and fairly, our Government.

Yet, we see daily verbal attacks on the democratically-elected Government from these leaders of political parliamentary parties. Expecting responsible leadership, we see juvenile rants. And these gloomy malcontents, who take the entire Guyanese nation for a rough ride along the muddy confusing river of their discontent, spew vicious rhetoric of revenge and vengeance.

The crusade of Ramjattan and Nagamootoo for justice

h ether to the students at the University of Guyana (UG), or to the young athletes at the Athletic Centre in Leonora or young professional swimmers at the Aquatic Centre at Liliendaal, as we saw with President Ramotar and Minister Dr Anthony last Friday, we must use the kind of words and language to the nation that would energise and motivate and inspire citizens, who vote free and fair for their Government, words that lift the heart of the Guyanese people to dream a Guyana Dream…What must motivate us is this Guyana Dream.

torment of the Guyanese people?

We became so disillusioned and despondent with the poor parliamentary leadership of the Guyanese nation during the 10th Parliament that today we stand perplexed.

We hear vociferous screaming and cussing about corruption in Government. We wake up daily to encounter a land full of harsh rhetoric. Our nation endured a rough ride. We are fed-up.

The Opposition thumps its proud chest for its efforts to cripple the democratically-elected Government, and even tries its utmost to label Guyana as a dictatorship, ignoring the fact that we all voted in free and fair national and regional elections. Why? Leading the Opposition from the forefront, both Ramjattan and Nagamootoo openly express personal dislike for their former colleagues in the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).

And they seem set on a path to exact revenge and vengeance on the Party that nurtured them into politicians, claiming that the Party’s internal system affected them negatively, and that certain personalities within the PPP worked against them. Unfortunately, this crusade crucifies the nation. They both seem determined to imprison top leaders of Government, in what they term is their crusade for accountability.

EGO & RANSOM Our nation may be caught in the trap of a serious crisis: the politics of vengeance. Have we, our entire nation, succumbed to the politics of vengeance and revenge? One day the history of these times will be written, and we may very well label these days as the period of the politics of vengeance: we are witnessing how one man’s ego and quest for significance could hold our entire nation to ransom.

While we in no way claim that our Government is utopian and perfect, we must realise exactly what happened to Guyana from November, 2011 to now.

We suffer enormous vexation as we watch our nation pulled to political shreds.

Guyanese today stand on the firm foundation of democ-

South America Swimming Confederation President, Juan Carlos Ortheila (at right) and FINA vice-president Dale Neuburger join President Donald Ramotar and Minister of Sport Dr. Frank Anthony for a photo-op

would appear authentic and real only were they to apply that credo to the entire Guyanese nation, not just personalities within the Government.

RODNEY’S DEATH President Donald Ramotar initiated the Presidential Commission to probe the suspected assassination of Dr Walter Rodney, to introspect the circumstances and atmosphere in Guyana during the dictatorship rule of the People’s National Congress (PNC) in the time of the Rodney disaster, to achieve just what the rowdy Parliamentary Opposition says it wants: justice.

The suspected political assassination of Dr Rodney has languished unsolved as the Commonwealth Caribbean’s most vicious suspected political crime, a nasty stain on the conscience of the Guyanese nation.

If we want to reform national systems, like the Justice system and the national accounting system and so on, we must start with our most pressing problem: the Dr Rodney cold case, and even the role of the PNC in crippling Guyana’s social and economic structure during its two-plus decades of iron-fisted rule, cannot lie dormant and eventually forgotten in the dustbin of history. We must investigate what happened.

Yet, President Ramotar’s Government never embarked on a witch-hunt. Rather, Government offered the Commission to the nation as a truth and reconciliation effort. Out of the Commission, a book and documentary will write the Rodney story for history: justice at its most revered.

If Ramjattan and Nagamootoo care about justice and fair play, they would make the effort to champion the work of the Rodney Commission, and contribute to its success.

We cannot disregard the role of Turn to page 19 ►

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 1, 2015

Education sector improving as a direct result of Government’s policies - President Ramotar

THE attainment of full nursery and primary education in Guyana is just one of many goals achieved over the last two decades by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C). For President Donald Ramotar, this is an important step towards Guyana’s resurgence as a “regional high-flyer” in terms of education.

These two achievements are as a direct result of Government’s aim of ensuring that the nation’s youth become equipped to better their lives in the future.

In an invited comment, recently, the President said the gains at the nursery level are not often highlighted. “I think it is extremely important in the competitive world that we live in today where we have Science and Technology, and Education playing a bigger and bigger role in countries’ economic development.”

He added, “If we give our children an early start, we give them an advantage to get along in their own personal lives, and it is an investment in our country’s future as we know they will be the driving force for our development as we move forward”.

The 85% enrollment level at the nursery level was described by President Ramotar as one of the best in the developing world and not just the Caribbean.

The last two decades have seen the construction of 10 new nursery schools across the various regions of Guyana. Where the number of children did not warrant the building of new facilities, the nursery sections of several primary schools have been implemented or expanded and, according to the President, “We are aiming to have full literacy by Grade 4”.

The improvement in the local education sector has coincided with a corresponding improvement in the performance of students, across the board. The last decade, in particular, has seen local students sweeping the regional education awards due to their outstanding performances. Unlike years past, Government’s policy of ensuring that all schools have access to the same facilities and opportunities have

Guyanese students who copped top CSEC awards for the Caribbean in 2014: (From left) Most Outstanding Student in Technical and Vocational Education, Kishan Critchlow; Most Outstanding Award for Humanities, Aliyyah Abdul Kadir; Most Outstanding Candidate overall, Elisa Hamilton; and Most Outstanding Student in Business Award, Ryhan Chand resulted in students from not only the recognised “top schools” in Georgetown doing well, as students from Anna Regina, Essequibo, Berbice and several other communities have now joined their counterparts in performing admirably in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE).

Another result of Government’s policies has been the lower levels of dropout rates. This has been the focus of a study by the World Bank which noted that the reduction of poverty through Guyana’s economic development has “empowered more parents to send their children to school, feed them, clothe them, transport them and additionally not need them to work early to help out financially at home”.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has conducted its own studies which show similar trends.

With education attracting an average of 15% of the National Budget, the Education Ministry has been able to put many measures in place to positively affect education across the board. In addition to constructing and or renovating about 1000 schools across the country, along with dormitories, laboratories, providing transportation where necessary, feeding programme, uniform allowance and its latest ‘Because We Care’ $10,000 grant, more youths than ever are taking advantage of the opportunities being provided to equip themselves for their future and that of the nation.

Health care vastly improved

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– almost all Amerindian communities now have access

THE provision of basic health care needs is essential to the development of any nation and more so its people, as a healthy population engenders productivity. It is therefore important that a government invests in necessary infrastructure to ensure its citizens benefit from care when needed, and the PPP/C Administration has over the years been investing heavily in the health

Community Health Worker Stephen Frederick attending to a baby at the Nappi Health Centre sector.

Guyana’s indigenous people have not been left out of the picture; a decision was taken to equip almost every hinterland community with the basic health services needed.

In Parishara, Hiowa, Semonie, Katoka, Yupukari, Kaicumbay and Quatata all in the

Rupununi, Region Nine, these communities, each has nestled within a health hut with a trained and dedicated Community Health Worker (CHW).

A trained CHW, Stephen Frederick, has served and continues to serve the village of Nappi, which is home to 636 people.

Frederick said he received training from the Ministry of Health in 1998 and ever since, he has been more than pleased to serve his fellow villagers.

Fredericks who won the CHW of the year award in 2008, attends to villagers suffering from various common complaints, including common cold, fever, worm infestation, skin rash, and diarrhoea, among others.

He said that based on the training he has received, his main focus continues to be in the area of primary prevention, health promotion and health education.

Since he hasn’t been equipped with more advanced medical training when he is confronted with a complicated case, he makes urgent referrals to the Lethem Hospital which is located 25 miles from Nappi.

Frederick said, thanks to a generous donation from the Government of Guyana, the village has the service of a minibus which also makes its work easier. In some instances, Frederick is forced to make house calls to ailing patients who are immobile.

“Before we never had things like this, we use to go on bicycle in case of emergency and ride out to Lethem and by the time we get out the patient gets worse, but right now things are better.”

This humble servant as he refers to himself said he works with a schedule; children’s clinic on Mondays, ante-natal clinic on Tues-

Kato Hospital, Region Eight

Lethem Hospital, Region Nine days, Family planning clinic on Wednesdays, Health talks in the community and schools on Thursday and home visits on Fridays.

The home health talks, Frederick said, are aimed at educating his villagers on early detection of basic health complaints, prevention, and treatment.

The Nappi health hut is also equipped with a radio transmission set which makes communication easy for the community and the CHW in the event of an emergency.

Over at Hiowa, another Amerindian community, Alexander Domingo shoulders the task of providing basic health care to his fellow villagers.

He too was privileged to receive training under the Ministry of Health to serve his community. However, with a little more advanced training and upgraded equipment, Domingo said the health facility in his community was recently upgraded from a health hut to a health centre.

From time to time, he renders his services to residents of surrounding communities including Parishara even though these communities have their respective health huts.

Unlike the other two health facilities, Domingo said he is equipped and trained to

conduct malaria smears and provides results and medication in a timely manner.

Now with better health care services readily available in these communities, the citizens are much more at ease, and can go about their daily routine with one less thing to worry about.

Under this current administration almost every Amerindian community has access to basic health care whether via a health hut, health centre or a hospital. Most of these are staffed by Amerindians who underwent training provided through the Ministry of Health and have returned to serve their communities.

The newly built, multi-million-dollar hospitals at Mabaruma, Kumaka, Lethem, Bartica, Kamarang, Matthews Ridge and Port Kaituma are a few of the modern institutions built to offer a wider range of health care services to Guyanese in hinterland communities.

In the case of Port Kaituma, a new hospital is currently under construction to serve the Matakari sub-district, Region One, Barima-Waini.

Amerindians can now access quality health care services in those regions, precluding the need to travel to Georgetown to do so. (GINA Feature)

Maikwak Health Post, Region Eight

Yupukari Health Post, Region Nine

Waramadong Health Post, Region Seven

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VENGEANCE POLITICS these gentlemen in the history of Guyana. They played outstanding roles in the fight against the PNC dictatorship for free and fair elections. So it’s profoundly puzzling that today they would cuss out and verbally attack the freely and fairly elected Guyanese Government.

We would welcome them were they less harsh and draconian, and so viciously determined to cripple and maim and even get rid of the democratic Government.

We live in a free society, and anybody is free to criticise Government, and to express discontent and malcontent and complaining. But when people ignore the fact that Guyana is governed under a freely and fairly elected Government, one’s got to ask questions of the motivation, narcissism and paranoia that drive such personalities.

Last Friday, Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture Dr Frank Anthony and President Ramotar launched the extension of the National Aquatic Centre at Liliendaal. The Olympic-sized swimming pool, along with the impressive warm-up 25-feet pool that opened to the public on Friday, showcases what transformation we’ve seen in Guyana these days.

In fact, the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture, under the immense leadership of Dr Anthony, quietly built the Aquatic Centre, the Athletic track and field facility at Leonora on the West Coast of Demerara, and the National Stadium at Providence, with no fanfare and chestthumping. So quiet has this sporting development been that we take it all for granted.

Yet, today Guyana houses the most advanced and aesthetically pleasing Aquatic Centre in the entire Commonwealth Caribbean, and a world-class athletic field, and a stunning cricket stadium.

Dr Anthony’s accomplishments come just out of one Ministry. Were we to tell the story of each Ministry and sector of the Government, we would see similar achievements.

Yet, the Opposition ignores these developments, and focuses on harsh rhetoric, thus damaging the image of our nation, and demoralising the Guyanese people. How could such irresponsibility pass for leadership, and escapes the average Guyanese.

The Opposition spokespeople would gain some credibility were they to extol the virtues of modern Guy-

ana: of our outstanding democracy, with successful free and fair regional and national elections; with sports, culture and youth development progressing so rapidly; with our nation able to feed, house and clothe ourselves; with record foreign investments and solid macro-economic management; with Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General Anil Nandlall’s admirable work to curb money-laundering. The list of positives and achievements is endless, and we must tell the real story, not a lopsided version of who we are as a people today.

Were Ramjattan and Nagamootoo and Brigadier Granger to talk of the development of the Stadium and the Marriott as positives and the Aquatic Centre and the Leonara Athletic Centre as major developments, were they to boost the heartbeat of Guyanese, showing us that we are an advancing, progressive people, we would be less of a demoralised people.

STATE MEDIA The Opposition leaders complain that they get shut out of the State media. However, the State media would willingly cover their stories were they objective, rational and balanced in how they talk about our nation.

The State media cannot report emotional cussouts against a democraticallyelected Government, and cannot provide a platform for the spewing of malicious and vengeful rhetoric. The State media is in the arena of the State, and the first and foremost goal of the State media is to lift the spirit of the Guyanese people, to motivate and inspire the people, to report on the work of the democratically-elected Government.

As much as the entire Media landscape needs urgent reform for professional Journalism to really contribute to this nation’s selfimage, we cannot expect the State media to provide a platform for vengeance and revenge: that could be the forte of the private media, but the State media belongs to the people, and the people exercise our right in electing a free and fair Government.

Beating up on the governmental choice of the people could not possibly be a right of the Opposition. In the Opposition claiming it has a right to appear in the State media with its wild accusations and broad generalisations and harsh, demoralising

rhetoric, we see the very definition of what’s disingenuous and crass.

At the end of the day, what appears to motivate the Opposition comes across not as love for Guyana and the championing of a democratic, free and open Guyanese nation, but rather a tearing apart of the socio-economic foundation of our society. The worst thing that could happen to a nation is the demoralisation of workers, producers, consumers and voters.

The skilled and knowledgeable of the population escape such demoralisation and tearing apart of the society’s image through migration: no human being wants to live in a land where he or she feels demoralised and depressed with the words we encounter in the public square. Human nature being what it is, we flee such rhetoric, simply to boost our own morale and motivation for living.

Yes, the State media needs serious work. As much as the malcontents and discontents do their utmost to demoralise and cripple the self-image of the Guyanese nation, the State media must develop the skills, culture and Journalistic professionalism to tell the true story of 21st century Guyana.

We want to see inspiring stories of our rice farmers, sugar workers, Lindeners, Berbicians, Essequibians, working and building their lives and designing their homes and driving nice cars and enjoying the lush pastoral beauty of their homeland.

This is what the Opposition should request of the State media, instead of wanting their own face-time on State platforms.

We must get to the place where we’re telling the Guyanese story, in books, movies, newspaper features, news items, on TV and radio and blogs and social media, in a way that lifts the Guyanese heart and causes the Guyanese soul to soar with wonder and excitement and inspiring delight.

Guyana is among the most peaceful and pastoral nation in the world. We’ve solved problems of hunger, homelessness, illiteracy. Our landscape is so blessed, with no natural disaster, no war, no ethnic conflict, no cultural envy, no economic and social crisis.

WHAT MORE DO WE WANT? Guyana is not about the

Government. Every five years we choose who governs us. After that election day, we go about the business of building and developing the nation. If we don’t like the leadership’s behaviour, we are free to vote our choice.

So what could possibly motivate the Opposition to try to deceive the world that Guyana has a dictatorship government that operates like an evil empire which lords it over the population? What motivates such an idea, such a terrible deceit?

If it’s the politics of vengeance, then the Guyanese nation would not forgive those who perpetuate this awful weight on our shoulders, causing us, instead of enjoying our beautiful nation and loving the sunny warmth of our paradisiac land, to become a demoralised, despondent people.

Like human society everywhere on the earth, Guyana is not perfect, and may never be thus. No Government could govern to satisfy every soul. Every society in

From page 13

the world suffers from discontents and malcontents creating mischief. Every Government harbours some leaders who would be selfish.

But to malign the entire Guyanese people, to hold the whole nation at ransom, just to exact vengeance and revenge, is downright mean and selfish.

As elections season heats up, we hope that we’ll see positive stories of the Guyanese nation’s place in the world today, of our progress as a people, of our hands joined together to elect the Government of our choice, of us telling the world that we are a matured, decent people, peaceful, harmonious, progressive.

We would do well to ignore the harsh rhetoric of those who try to deceive the population that Guyana is a dictatorship today, but we want to reach out to even these Guyanese to let them know that we should work together to write the future of the Guyanese nation, not with words from a tongue dipped

in blood-red vengeance, but with words of inspiring encouragement.

Whether to the students at the University of Guyana (UG), or to the young athletes at the Athletic Centre in Leonora or young professional swimmers at the Aquatic Centre at Liliendaal, as we saw with President Ramotar and Minister Dr Anthony last Friday, we must use the kind of words and language to the nation that would energise and motivate and inspire citizens, who vote free and fair for their Government, words that lift the heart of the Guyanese people to dream a Guyana Dream.

President Ramotar and Minister Anthony accomplished this last Friday, as soldiers, police ranks, school children, media folks, international sports administrators, and the public heard them paint the picture of Guyana’s future as a “world class” society, in the words of President Ramotar.

What must motivate us is this Guyana Dream.

An agenda devoid of interest for...

From page 11

own words). And that loan will expire at the end of June, just before Greece has to redeem $7 billion in bonds.

So there will be four months of attritional warfare and then another crisis – which Greece will once again lose. It will lose partly because it hasn’t actually got a very good case for special treatment, and partly because the European Union doesn’t really believe it will pull out of the euro common currency.

Greece’s debt burden is staggering – about $30,000 per capita. It can never be repaid, and some of it will eventually have to be cancelled or “rescheduled” into the indefinite future. But not now, when other euro members like Spain, Portugal and Ireland are struggling with some success to pay down their heavy but smaller debts. If Greece got such a sweet deal, everybody else would demand debt relief too.

The cause of the debt was the same in every case: the euro was a stable, lowinterest currency that banks were happy to lend in even to relatively low-income European countries that

were in the midst of clearly unsustainable, debt-fuelled booms. So all the southern European EU members (and Ireland) piled in – but nobody else did it on the same scale as the Greeks.

The boom lasted for the best part of a decade after the euro currency launched in 1999. Ordinary Greeks happily bought imported German cars, French wines, Italian luxury goods and much else, while the rich and politically well-connected raked off far larger sums and paid as little tax as possible. Greek governments ended up lying about the size of the country’s debts.

No less an authority than Syriza’s finance minister, Yanis Varoufakis, described the atmosphere of the time like this: “The average Greek had convinced herself that Greece was superb.

A cut above the rest...Due to our exceptional ‘cunning’, Greece was managing to combine fun, sun, xenychti (late nights) and the highest GDP growth in Europe.”

Then the roof fell in after the 2008 crash, and “self-immolation followed self-congratulation, but left self-importance in the driving seat,” as Varoufakis

put it.

That is why the sympathy for Greece’s plight in other EU members is limited. Moreover, the EU, and especially the Germans, have managed to convince themselves that “grexit” (Greek exit from the euro) would not be a limitless disaster.

The other PIGS (Portugal, Ireland and Spain) are in much better shape financially, and Brussels no longer fears that the Greek “contagion” will spread irresistibly to them as well.

Neither does it think that a Greek departure from the euro would bring the whole edifice of the single currency tumbling down. And it knows that the vast majority of Greeks don’t want to leave either the euro or the EU – so it’s playing hardball.

When the interim deal was made public on Tuesday, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras put the best possible face on it, saying that Greece had “won a battle, but not the war.” In fact he lost the first battle, as he was bound to. It will take him longer to lose the whole war, but that will probably happen too.

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M15 rifle, .32 pistol used in Little Diamond execution

By Leroy Smith

POLICE sources yesterday afternoon confirmed to this newspaper that the persons who carried out the execution-style killing of 31-year-old Trevor Adams of Samatta Point, Grove, East Bank Demerara, used a high-powered weapon and a pistol to carry out the act.

Adams was employed as a mining engineer with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC).

According to usually reliable police sources, the spent shells which were re-

covered from the scene of the shooting were compatible with those used in a M15 rifle and a .32 pistol.

Early yesterday morning, police investigators who are probing the execution-style killing returned to the scene of the incident where they were able to review video footage which was recorded from a building nearby. In addition, the police ranks were also able to get information on a vehicle and the occupants who were in it at the time of the shooting.

Investigators are very positive that they will crack this case as the information

coming forth from members of the public has thus far been assisting the police in moving forward in the probe.

The fact that the ranks were able to recover spent shells which are used by two different weapons confirm also, that more than one person had launched the attack on the man, while he was driving his car on the way to the city.

Because of the sensitivity of the matter and in an effort to not compromise the investigation, this publication has decided to withhold other critical information which the police were able to gather

in relation to the shooting on Friday morning and which has left the relatives of the dead man and his co-workers in a state of total shock.

We l l - p l a c e d s o u r c e s within police circles who are close to the investigation spoke of what investigators have been able to unearth that is more than likely to lead them to the persons who carried out the daring mid-morning execution on the young GGMC employee.

On Friday, Abrams was driving along the “under construction” Little Diamond Public Road in his car when another vehicle drove up

Africo Selman resigns... post with the incumbent administration. She pegged the blame squarely on repeated abuse from the party’s Chief Whip, Ms Amna Ally, coupled with the lack of redress on the part of the executives,

including the party General Secretary Mr Oscar Clarke.

Selman said she would have made her decision some time ago, but remained quiet since her family members are staunch supporters of the

PNC and she did not want to put the party in a bad light.

She said that things came to a head recently when the party was hosting a function at its Headquarters, Congress Place, and Ally solicited her help and that of others in preparing for the event.

Selman, a Spanish teacher at a prominent city school, said she and her employer, who are close, would, from time to time, make contributions to the party, such as contributing to arranging such events.

According to Selman, while she neither asked nor received a positive answer from her employer in relation

alongside him, reportedly cut off his path and opened fire on him.

The man was riddled with bullets which caused him to lose control of the vehicle which uprooted a light pole and ended up in a nearby canal. Persons said that it was only recently that the young man had purchased the car.

Reports from police sources have indicated that the execution of Abrams is linked to the execution of businessman Randolph Singh, who was gunned down last week in front of his business place and

‘KILLED’: Trevor Abrams

the attempted execution of ex-policeman and phantom squad member Otis Grant on Mashramani Day. Grant is said to be still a patient of a city hospital. The execution is suspected to be the fallout from a deal that went sour.

From page 2

to contributing to the event, an illness in her employer’s family caused a delay; which led to Ally, upon enquiring, berating her over the failure to deliver.

Selman said she was verbally abused by Ally, who is known for her profuse use of expletives.

According to the APNU frontbencher, Clarke, while attempting to placate the situation, did not offer any real redress, as is the case with others.

Selman told this newspaper that the incident was but a culmination of a litany of abuses at the hands of the

party’s chief whip.

“How can I represent people if I can’t speak for myself?” Selman asked.

She said that it’s a norm in the party for persons who speak out to be victimised.

She pointed to Vanessa Kissoon and her experience, and said she did not want to have a similar experience.

According to Selman, “it really hurts” to know that after dedicating that much time and service to her party, she would be treated in such a manner, with no recourse from the Executive.

During the interview with this publication, Selman recounted a number of abusive incidents involving Ally, which in part led to her decision to resign from the PNC/APNU and Parliament altogether.

Kissoon, another APNU

Member of Parliament, was recently suspended from the party and disallowed from voting at the party’s most recent congress. Her suspension followed an altercation with party General Secretary Oscar Clarke over access to the party’s building in Region 10.

She was also demoted to the back bench in Parliament following the public spat.

Following the APNU announcement that it had coalesced with the Alliance For Change (AFC) to contest the 2015 general and regional elections, the AFC party has been haemorrhaging supporters, more notably its General Secretary Sixtus Edwards, and more recently a very public resignation by Attorney-at-Law Balwant Persaud.

SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 1, 2015

Fire ravages section of Bartica Secondary School boys’ dorm ––fire service prevents extensive damage to building

QUICK response from G u y a n a F i re S e r v i c e ranks in the Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni) community of Bartica prevented a fire that started on the ground floor of the Bartica Secondary School boys’ dormitory from spreading and wreaking havoc in that mining community.

The fire reportedly was started at sometime between 1:30am and 2:00am on Saturday morning in a room on the ground floor where mattresses are stored.

One of the students raised an alarm and the building was evacuated shortly after.

Eyewitnesses have related that while the Guyana Fire Service’s response prevented the fire from spreading to other sections

A view of the bottom flat of the Boys Dormitory, where the fire originated; and the top flat, where the 21 male students slept while the fire broke out of the building, noticeable structural damages nevertheless occurred. The windows were damaged and the exterior of the building

The smoldering mattresses in the bottom flat of the Boys Dormitory

was scorched.

Region 7 officials have reportedly started cleanup efforts to ensure the building is functional again. In the meantime, arrangements have been made to provide alternative accommodation for the 21 male students who have been displaced. (Edward Persaud)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 1, 2015, 2015

Rooney ends goal drought as United go third

By Tom Hayward

LONDON, (Reuters) - Wayne Rooney ended his eight-game Premier League scoring drought with a brace as Manchester United climbed back above Arsenal into third with a 2-0 victory against a dogged Sunderland yesterday.

United were booed during stages of another underwhelming first half at Old Trafford but Rooney, restored to his favoured forward position, dispatched a 66th-minute penalty after Radamel Falcao was impeded by John O’Shea.

Fellow former United man Wes Brown was wrongly shown the red card instead of O’Shea despite the remonstrations of Sunderland’s players before Rooney added his second with a simple finish in the 84th minute.

“It’s great to score but the three points are the most important thing after last week (a 2-1 loss to Swansea City),” Rooney told the BBC. “We knew Sunderland would be dogged. They defended well, but we were patient.

Wayne Rooney celebrates with team mates after scoring the first goal for Manchester United from the penalty spot.

(Images via Reuters / Carl RecineLivepic) It was a good performance. “I think there are a lot of teams in a good run of form and there’s not much difference between the top teams. We hope that, come the end of the season, we’re in the right position.”

United’s top-four rivals Southampton continued their recent slump after they were beaten 1-0 at improving West Bromwich Albion courtesy of Saido Berahino’s early goal.

Earlier Glenn Murray scored twice and was sent off as resurgent Crystal Palace registered a 3-1 Premier League win at a toothless West Ham United to heap more woe on the stuttering east London side, who began the season brightly.

Newcastle United extended Aston Villa’s winless Premier League run to 12 games with a 1-0 victory at St James’ Park thanks to Papiss Cisse’s goal.

Swansea City climbed to eighth after Kieran Trippier’s own goal in a 1-0 win at struggling Burnley while Stoke City were 1-0 victors at home against Hull City thanks to a Peter Crouch header.

UNITED VULNERABLE Not for the first time this season, Manchester United’s back three looked vulnerable and were indebted to goalkeeper David de Gea, who tipped Connor Wickham’s early shot round the post before the Spaniard denied Jermain Defoe.

A prolonged period of United possession yielded no attacking enterprise and ended with a ball back to De Gea, which was met by widespread boos and groans from a disgruntled Old Trafford crowd.

Moments later Ashley Young’s low cross clipped the bar via a sizeable deflection off O’Shea before the United wingback fired a shot narrowly past the far post.

After the break, more

sloppy United play was greeted with groans though their side finally opened the scoring when Falcao turned brilliantly to win a penalty after he was impeded by O’Shea. Referee Roger East mistakenly showed Brown the red card before Rooney calmly converted the penalty.

Adnan Januzaj, a halftime substitute for an anonymous Angel di Maria, made a huge impact following his introduction and his low shot was parried by Costel Pantilimon allowing Rooney to apply a simple finish to secure the points.

Southampton had won one of their previous four league games to slip out of the top four and they found themselves behind after Berahino’s excellent strike in the second minute.

The visitors commanded much of the possession but too many of their players cut frustrated figures as they failed to break down a resolute West Brom side. Morgan Schneiderlin split the hosts’ defence with a sublime ball midway through the half but Sadio Mane wasted the opportunity with a wild shot.

West Brom’s lively striker Berahino, who has 17 goals in all competitions this season, was substituted with an apparent injury.

Southampton’s Graziano Pelle failed to convert a glaring opportunity with the goal beckoning midway through the second period.

Darren Fletcher missed a good chance for the hosts before both Pelle and Eljero Elia wasted good chances for Southampton as West Brom held on to climb eight points clear of the relegation zone with a fourth league game without defeat.

Second-placed champions Manchester City visit Liverpool today when Arsenal, two points behind United, host Everton. Leaders Chelsea play Tottenham Hotspur in the Capital One Cup final.

Golden Jaguars to roar against St Lucia on March 22 at Providence THE Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Normalisation Committee yesterday confirmed that the country’s Senior National Team, popularly known as the Golden Jaguars, will face St Lucia in a Friendly International on March 22 at the Guyana National Stadium.

“This game follows on the heels of the Barbados encounter on February 01 when the Senior Men’s National Team (Golden Jaguars) drew with the host nation 2-2,” the Normalisation Committee said in a release yesterday.

According to the Normalisation Committee, “in a similar vein, the St. Lucia engagement will serve to also give the Head Coach and Technical Team another chance to further assess where our competitive game is as we continue to prepare for the CONCACAF preliminary qualifying round in June for the 2018 FIFA World Cup”.

The Committee pointed

out that more players would be given the opportunity to impress the technical staff as GFF aims to put together the best possible team to represent Guyana.

Trinidadian Jamaal Shabazz was hired as the Head Coach for the Barbados game and the GFF was tight lipped on if the country’s former Technical Director would’ve been given the permanent position.

However, in the release yesterday, the Normalisation Committee said that a press conference will be hosted on Wednesday March 4 at their Georgetown head office where further details on the game and the composition of the team will be announced.

The GFF Normalisation Committee also informed that they are currently exploring the possibility of hosting another friendly international against a yet to be named country almost immediately following the St. Lucia game.

Agricola needle ...

Grove have only themselves to blame for not securing full points, throwing away a penalty and scoring against themselves which handed Mocha their first point.

Six minutes into the game, Grove’s leading goal scorer, Devon Padmore was on the score sheets again but this time against his own team much to the delight of Mocha, it was actually Mocha’s first goal in their

From back page

third game of the league.

It took some time for Grove to even the score, on 20 minutes, Jamal Thom rocked the nets to equalise and ensure that the home team earned an equal share of the points which saw them ending the competition on 7 points from their five matches.

Mocha still has two games in hand having joined the competition late while Craig and Herstelling have a game each.

Racing Tips South Africa Racing Tips Greyville 08:30 hrs Kochka 09:05 hrs Shezamatador 09:40 hrs Aware 10:15 hrs Ilanga 10:50 hrs Guilty As Charge French Racing Tips Auteuil 09:00 hrs Peter Silver 09:30 hrs Avril D’ Alene 10:00 hrs Day Gets Up 10:40 hrs Rhialco 11:10 hrs Hilton Du Berlais 11:40 hrs Anaking 12:10 hrs Alko 12:40 hrs Kalpaco German Racing Tips Dortmund 09:00 hrs Emirati Spirit 09:30 hrs Konig Arte 10:00 hrs Eyes On Me 10:30 hrs Pissarro 11:00 hrs Golden Horse 11:30 hrs Ivrea 12:00 hrs Mood Indigo

English Racing Tips Sedgefield 10:10 hrs Film Director 10:40 hrs Snapping Turtle 11:10 hrs King Of Glory 11:40 hrs Royal Moll 12:10 hrs Astigos 12:40 hrs Mad For Road 13:10 hrs Oskar’s Eva Huntingdon 10:00 hrs Perfect Summer 10:30 hrs Vivacissimo 11:00 hrs North Germany 11:30 hrs Arbeo 12:00 hrs Malanos 12:30 hrs Knockgraffon Irish Racing Tips Navan 10:20 hrs Crystal Pearl 10:50 hrs Sizing Titanium 11:20 hrs Mine Now 11:50 hrs Azorian 12:20 hrs Glenquest 12:50 hrs White Arm 13:20 hrs Anibale Fly

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 1, 2015

Williamson six gives Kiwis one wicket victory Starc takes six wickets as New Zealand struggle in chase

By John Mehaffey AUCKLAND, Feb (Reuters) Kane Williamson coolly struck a straight six to give New Zealand a one wicket victory over Australia in a dramatic battle between the cricket World Cup hosts at Eden Park yesterday.

Williamson lofted Pat Cummins over the boundary with last man Trent Boult at the wicket to finish on 45 not out in New Zealand’s 152 for nine off 23.1 overs.

Mitchell Starc scythed through the New Zealand batting after Brendon McCullum had given the home side a flying start with 50 from 24 balls, including seven boundaries and three sixes, to take six for 28 from nine overs.

New Zealand’s left-arm fast bowler Trent Boult recorded his best figures in a one-day international, capturing five wickets for one run during his second spell, to finish with five for 27 in Australia’s 151 all out from 32.2 overs.

There was no hint of what was to follow at the start of the day when Australia, who won the toss, set off as if they were determined to post a total around the 400 mark.

Tim Southee conceded 15 runs off the first over of the day, David Warner slashed a six off

Trent Boult ripped through the Australian batting with five for 27. his second over the short third man boundary and Aaron Finch struck the pace bowler over midon into the stands off the third.

With his next ball Southee knocked Finch’s off stump out of the ground after he had scored 14.

Warner and Shane Watson took the score to 80 when Mc-

Cullum introduced Daniel Vettori into the attack.

Bowling with his accustomed flight and guile, the left-arm spinner put a brake on the scoring and the frustrated Watson (23) perished when he pulled a short delivery straight to Southee at mid-wicket.

Southee switched ends and was rewarded with the wicket of Warner lbw 34 to a full delivery which thudded on to his pads.

Wickets then suddenly began to tumble.Steve Smith (4) was caught behind by Luke Ronchi off Vettori from a thick inside edge and Glenn Maxwell (1) and Mitchell Marsh (0) both dragged deliveries from Boult on to their stumps.

Clarke (12) and Johnson (1) fell to simple catches by Wiliamson off Boult who then bowled Starc for a duck.

Brad Haddin took a four and a six off Vettori’s final over and showed the pitch was not a minefield by reaching the top score of 43 with four boundaries and two sixes.

Martin Guptill took a four and a six off Mitchell Johnson’s opening over and McCullum looked as if he wanted to finish the game before the dinner interval, despite a lengthy break while he received attention after Johnson hit him on the left arm.

After Guptill had departed for 11 and McCullum soon afterwards, Starc raised Australia’s hopes by bowling Ross Taylor (1) before the interval and

Grant Elliott (0) with the first ball after the break.

Corey Anderson, who hit Johnson for six, added 52 with Williamson and appeared to have set New Zealand victory before he was caught for 26.

Wickets then fell regularly and it was only Williamson’s composure under pressure which enabled New Zealand to get over the line for a fourth successive victory in the tournament.

Mitchell Starc roars after taking a wicket. He finishes with six for 28.

Scoreboard AUSTRALIA Innings A. Finch b Southee 14 D. Warner lbw b Southee 34 S. Watson c Southee b Vettori 23 M. Clarkec Williamson b Boult 12 S. Smith c Ronchi b Vettori 4 G. Maxwell b Boult 1 M. Marsh b Boult 0 B. Haddin c sub b Anderson 43 M. Johnson c Williamson b Boult 1 M. Starc b Boult 0 P. Cummins not out 7 Extras (b-4 lb-2 w-6) 12 Total (all out, 32.2 overs) 151 Fall of wickets: 1-30,2-80,3-80,495,5-96,6-97,7-104,8-106,9-106,10151.

Bowling: T. Southee 9 - 0 - 65 2(w-4),T. Boult 10 - 3 - 27 - 5(w-2), D. Vettori 10 - 0 - 41 – 2, A. Milne 3 0 - 6 – 0, C. Anderson 0.2 - 0 - 6 – 1.

NEW ZEALAND Innings M. Guptill c Cummins b Starc 11 B. McCullum c Starc b Cummins 50 K. Williamson not out 45 R. Taylor b Starc 1 G. Elliott b Starc 0 C.AndersoncCumminsbMaxwell 26 L. Ronchi c Haddin b Starc 6 D. Vettori c Warner b Cummins 2 A. Milne b Starc 0 T. Southee b Starc 0 T. Boult not out 0 Extras (nb-1 w-10) 11 Total (for 9 wickets, 23.1 overs) 152 Fall of wickets: 1-40,2-78,3-79,479,5-131,6-139,7-145,8-146, 9-146.

Bowling: M. Johnson 6 - 1 - 68 0(nb-1), M. Starc 9 - 0 - 28 - 6(w-4), P. Cummins 6.1 - 0 - 38 - 2(w-2),M. Marsh 1 - 0 - 11 – 0, G. Maxwell 1 - 0 - 7 - 1

Crowe inducted into ICC Hall of Fame …New Zealand’s greatest batsman honoured in Auckland NEW Zealand great Martin Crowe was inducted into Cricket’s Hall of Fame on Saturday with the terminally-ill, former batsman describing it as a great honour, prompting a standing ovation from 40,000 fans at Eden Park.

Known as one of the game’s most stylish batsmen, the 52-year-old became the third New Zealander behind Richard Hadlee and Debbie Hockley, and 79th in the world, to receive the honour.

“I am pleased to get this prestigious award, especially joining my friend Richard Hadlee,” said Crowe, after being awarded his commemorative cap from International Cricket Council (ICC) director and chairman of Cricket Australia, Wally Edwards.

Martin Crowe was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame during the break in the New Zealand v Australia, World Cup match in Auckland, yesterday.

Crowe dedicated the award to his father Dave and mother Audrey.

“I wish to dedicate this award to my father and mother who supported the game for 40 years,” s a i d c a n c e r- s t r i c k e n Crowe who had been diagnosed with a rare blood disease, double-hit lymphoma Crowe made his international debut against Australia in Wellington in February 1982 at the age of 19.

He retired 13 years later after playing 77 Tests, having scored 5444 runs at an average of 45.36.

This included 17 centuries, the most by a New Zealand cricketer, while his 299 against Sri Lanka in Wellington in January 1991 stood as a nation-

al record until Brendon McCullum scored 302 against India in Wellington last year.

Crowe also played 143 one-day internationals in which he scored 4,704 runs at an average of 38.55 with four centuries and 34 half-centuries.

He played in three World Cups and led New Zealand to the semi-final of the 1992 tournament, where his side lost to eventual champions Pakistan in Auckland.

He also captained New Zealand in 16 Tests and 44 ODIs. Crowe, who was at Eden Park to see New Zealand take on Australia in the World Cup on Saturday, wished Brendon McCullum and his team the best of luck.(AAP)

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 1, 2015, 2015

Jamaica, T&T open CONCACAF U-17 campaign with losses SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras – English-speaking Caribbean giants Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago took a tumble on the opening day of the CONCACAF Under-17 Championship, when they suffered solid defeats here Friday.

Playing at the Estadio Francisco Morazan in the feature game of a doubleheader, Jamaica conceded a goal in either half to go down 2-0 to hosts Honduras while in the opening contest of the day, ten-man T&T were hurt by Diego Raymundo’s brace to lost 4-1.

In the other fixture, United States hammered Cuba 5-1.

With all eyes on the feature game involving the hosts, Jamaica were behind as early as the 12 th minute when Darixon Vuelton netted, after controlling Kevin Castro’s cross from the left side and firing in from close range.

Jamaica tried to hit back, however and came close to equalising nine minutes before the break when Shandel Senior’s long range effort was well saved by goalkeeper Michael Parello.

Down 0-1 at half-time, Jamaica again came close on resumption when the usually prolific Nicholas Nelson shot wide of the left uprights.

The young Reggae Boyz were made to pay for not converting their opportunities as Jorge Alvarez doubled the hosts’ lead in the 78th minute, clinically netting from about seven years out after collecting Foslyn Grant’s right-sided cross.

Earlier, Raymundo led Guatemala’s offensive charge against the Trinidadians and was supported by Victor Valdez and Abel Lemus, who both pumped in first half goals.

T&T’s lone goal came from the feet of defender Keston Julien.

The twin-island republic found themselves chasing the game in the second minute when Raymundo netted the first of his goals, following a scramble in the box.

More misery followed in the ninth minute for T&T. Goalkeeper Levi Fernandez seemed to misjudge Valdez’s free kick and could only watch as the ball bounced past him.

Shirwin Noel was sent off six minutes before half-time when he received a red card for dangerous play but T&T stunned the Guatemalans moments later when Keston Julien surged past defenders and into the box, to clinically finish with an excellent left-footer.

However, Lemus then countered in stoppage time when he beat the Trinidad keeper with delicate chip after getting free of the defense, to allow the Central Americans to lead 3-1 at half-time.

They made sure of the points early in the second half when Raymundo got his second from close range.

Both Trinidad and Jamaica will search for their first win tomorrow.

Nicholas Nelson ... came close to scor- T&T take on the US while Jamaica ing for Jamaica in the second half. tackle Guatemala.

India cruise to easy win over UAE in Perth PERTH, (Reuters) - Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin claimed four wickets to lead a strong Indian bowling performance as the defending champions eased to a nine-wicket victory over the United Arab Emirates in a World Cup Pool B encounter in Perth yesterday.

Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja and fast bowler Umesh Yadav chipped in with two wickets apiece as the Emiratis were bundled out for just 102 in 31.3 overs at the WACA to post the lowest score of this year’s tournament.

Opener Rohit Sharma had missed out in India’s wins against Pakistan and South Africa but used the opportunity to get some runs under his belt as his team chased down the target with 31.1 overs to spare for a third triumph in as many matches.

Rohit (57) and Virat Kohli (33) added 75 in an unbroken second wicket stand to carry India home after in-form open-

ing batsman Shikhar Dhawan (14) fell to a sharp one-handed catch by Rohan Mustafa at point off Mohammad Naveed.

Rohit, the owner of the highest ODI score of 264, brought up his 24th fifty with a square-cut boundary off UAE captain Mohammad Tauqir. He hit 10 fours and a six during his 55-ball knock.

Tauqir would never have envisioned such a shambolic batting display from his team mates when he won the toss and opted to bat first.

However, the extra bounce on a pitch widely considered as the fastest in the world put them on the back foot from the onset of their innings.

Yadav bowled short and fast and struck in his first over, the second of the innings, to remove opener Andri Berenger (four) with a bouncer.

Fellow opener Amjad Ali (four) did not last much longer, edging a bouncer from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, a replacement for the injured Moham-

med Shami, to wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni behind the stumps.

Skipper Dhoni brought Ashwin (4-25) on as his first change immediately after the mandatory 10-over powerplay to start the innings and the tall spinner picked up a wicket with his second ball and then ran through the UAE middle order to bag his best figures in ODIs. S h a i m a n A n w a r, w h o scored an aggressive century during their two-wicket loss to Ireland, was the only batsman to provide some resistance and finished with 35 from 49 balls, his innings including six boundaries.

Anwar and number 11 batsman Manjula Guruge (10 not out) added 31 for the final wicket, the highest of the innings, to get UAE past the 100-run mark.

The 35-year-old Anwar was the last man to fall, bowled by a late-swinging full delivery from Yadav.

Notable Dates Shondell Alfred only lost once in Guyana. Her four other defeats happened outside of the 83, 000 square miles known as the Land of Many Waters. `The Mystery Lady’ was defeated by Brazilian Alexandra Matheus in Aalborg, Denmark on February 28, 2004.

Judges Jan Christensen, Hans Larsen and Soren Saugmann all scored it 40-36 Matheus, a resident of Denmark.

The defeat was the third for Alfred who would later bounce back to win the vacant WIBA world title in September 2009 following a points decision win over Corinne Van Ryck DeGroot.

Alfred has not been in the ring since defeating Olga Julio on November 6, 2010 at the Princes Hotel and Casino. The mother of two was set to make a comeback in November 2012 against Mexican, Zulina Muñoz, for the World Boxing Council (WBC) female Super/ flyweight title.

However, in a bizarre twist the fight was cancelled when doctors performing medical checks hours before the bout, discovered that the Guyanese was more than two months pregnant.

Johnson Charles to join West Indies World Cup squad

Johnson Charles called up to replace Darren Bravo.

PERTH, Australia, (CMC) – Windward Islands batsman Johnson Charles has been called up to replace Darren Bravo in the West Indies World Cup squad.

The replacement was approved by the ICC event technical committee, after Bravo was forced to return home with a hamstring injury.

Johnson, a hard-hitting right-hander, has played 30 One-Day Internationals and scored 869 runs at an average of nearly 29.

He has scored two hundreds and two half-centuries, and last played for West Indies on the tour of New Zealand in January last year.

The 26-year-old has been in good form in the WICB domestic season, hitting 151 last December in the four-day competition and an aggressive 177 in the one-day tournament last month.

Bravo, meanwhile, was forced out of the tour after picking up a lower-grade tear of his left hamstring while completing a single in the 32nd over of the game against Pakistan in Christchurch a week ago.

He took no further part in the match which West Indies won by 150 runs, and subsequently missed the fixtures against Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Johnson will join the team in Perth as they prepare for the next game against India next Friday.

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SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 1, 2015

Victoria Kings receive spoils for Stag Beer League title THE Victoria Kings football club was yesterday finally rewarded for their triumph in the East Coast Senior Football League from sponsors Ansa McAl. Victoria Kings ended on 33 points to receive $200,000 in prize money while Mahaica Determinators was second on 29 points, winning $150,000.

Buxton United and Ann’s Grove each had 24 points but Buxton’s goal difference of 21 goals to Ann’s Grove 19 saw them winning the third place prize of $75,000 while Ann’s Grove received $50,000.

President of the East Coast Football Association, Aubrey Hutson was grateful to Ansa McAl and their Stag

Beer brand for coming onboard with the tournament.

“We are pleased that stag was onboard and it was helpful in improving our football and it is also one of the reason our teams did as well as they did in the year end tournament.

It’s a reflection of the continued progress with our partnerships and we are very encouraged and we look forward to more football being played in 2015 with the support of Stag Beer,” Hutson said.

Stag Beer Brand Representative, Sean Abel thanked all the teams for their participation while Stag Brand Manager John Maikoo assured that Stag will continue to support football and sports in general.

President of the ECFA Aubrey Hutson (first from left) with Ansa McAl’s John Maikoo and Sean Abel along with the top finishers of their Senior Stag Beer League.

Windies still confident as preparations start for India E-Networks Cross-Fit Games today …Organisers hope rain stay away

By Leeron Brumell Today perhaps puts a tick in the history column for sports in Guyana. It will be the day when the first set of local athletes, with a hint of international flavour, competes in the E-Networks Cross-Fit games.

Nine teams in total, 36 athletes among them nine women, competing for the titles of the Fittest Team and the Fittest Male and Female from 10:00hrs. But with the recent rains, athletes and the organisers and sponsors alike are hoping for either a day of glorious sunshine or even if it’s overcast – no rain.

athletes will be determined in Event Number 5. McDonald said it’s the surprise event and will only be revealed when the athletes show up for competition.

The top nine males and top three females will be chosen based on their performances during the team event.

This is what competitors will have to do once the whistle goes: Event 1 – deadlift (225lbs) and over the bar burpees for three rounds of 21-15-9 reps.

Event 2 – 200m suicides, 21 kettle-bell swings and 12 pull-ups for three 3 rounds Event 3 – dubbed ‘Triple-5-0’ - 50 box

PERTH, Australia, (CMC) – West Indies arrived in Perth yesterday still smarting from Friday’s heavy loss to South Africa but hoping to regroup ahead of next week’s clash with reigning World champions India.

“[Friday] was just the first off day with the bat. It’s a daunting task trying to chase 400, and so you have to go hard initially trying to get the runs, and we just didn’t get any momentum going today unfortunately.”

Chris Gayle

THE RIG 1, 2 OR 3 - Workers assemble the Rig on the National Park Tarmac.

Chronicle Sport caught up with co-organiser and owner of Fitness Express, Jaime McDonald, on the National Park Tarmac where the action will be.

“We’re going to have a few brushes to ensure water does not pool on the tarmac.

“It’s not supposed to rain horribly (today) but I don’t know I really don’t know. Last time I checked the forecast it was supposed to rain and it was sunny the whole day.

“If it’s a drizzle drizzle sort a thing we have things in place to wipe the equipment and try to have everything run as smooth as possible; if it’s torrential rain then we have to call everything off and that’s based on what our sponsors have told us because they wanna make sure it happens the right way.”

There will be five events. The teams compete in four events from which the fittest team will be decided. The fittest male and female

jumps (24” for males & 20” for women), 50 thrusters (45lbs for women & 65lbs for men) and 50 toes-to-bar swings for the men. Ladies do 60 GHD/Roman chair sit-ups.

Event four will be a 1500m run on the outer track of the National Park, ending on the tarmac. It’s just 100m shy off a mile.

Each event has a time limit due to the number of persons involved “We’re going to be giving time caps 15 minute time cap for the first event, 20 for the 2nd and 20 for the third and 15minutes for the 4th,’ noted McDonald.

On Saturday, a 30-foot rig was erected on the tarmac. It will hold nine athletes at a time and will be used for the pull-up and toes-tobar events.

Entrance to the event that has been supported by Axe Apparel, Copa Airlines and the Trophy Stall, among others, is $500.

The Caribbean team have been their usual inconsistent selves, winning two and losing two of their four outings to date in the ICC Cricket World Cup. Their latest defeat – a 257-run thrashing at the hands of South Africa – came as a big blow to their quarter-final hopes but captain Jason Holder remained upbeat about his side’s progression in the tournament.

“I wouldn’t say it puts us onto the back foot. We still have two games left. We just need to take it one game at a time,” Holder said.

“We have to deal with India next in Perth, and we’re going to be aggressive. We’re going to play our normal style of cricket.

We obviously have areas to improve on in terms of our death bowling and still if we could try to get a few more dot balls into the middle overs, and I think once we do that we’re still a force to be reckoned with in this competition.

South Africa piled up 408 for five off their 50 overs, with captain AB de Villiers smashing a historic 66-ball unbeaten 162.

He was particularly severe on Holder, the six-foot, seven-inch seamer, belted him for 64 runs from the last two overs of his ten-over spell which cost

104 runs.

Holder returned, however, to top score with 56 off 48 balls as West Indies were bowled out for 151 off 33.1 overs, and said his confidence remained high.

“I am pretty good with my game at the moment. I think if you analyze my bowling … one player took me out in a sense. It happens. I just need to figure out what I can do better when things like that happen,” he explained.

“My batting, we had really nothing to lose, but we needed to get some runs on the board, try to help our run rate. [I had to] just try to be positive and try to stay out there. I was struggling a bit with cramp and felt like I couldn’t go off. I just had to fight through it and try to put some runs on the board for the team.”

West Indies have lost top order batsman Darren Bravo who has failed to recover from a hamstring injury sustained against Pakistan last Saturday, and will now return home.

CRICKET QUIZ CORNER (Sunday March 01, 2015) Compliments of THE TROPHY STALL-Bourda Market &The City Mall (Tel: 225-9230) & CUMMINGS ELECTRICAL CO. LTD-83 Garnette Street, Campbellville (Tel: 225-6158; 223-6055) Answers to yesterday’s quiz: (1) WI (1979); AUST (1987); PAK (1992) (2) New Zealand; South Africa; Kenya Today’s Quiz: (1)Which two World Cups had the same teams taking part in the finals?

(2) Who was the Man of the Tournament in the 1992 World Cup? Answers in tomorrow’s issue

31

SUNDAY CHRONICLE March 1, 2015, 2015

Kashif and Shanghai release fixtures at team briefing

GFC/Den Amstel, Riddim Squad/N.A United clash on opening day With the exception of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Hi-Star and Winners Connection, the other competing teams all gathered at the 704 Sports Bar yesterday for their team briefing and release of the official fixtures for the 25th Kashif and Shanghai Football Tournament.

Georgetown Football Club (GFC) will clash with Den Amstel while Riddim Squad faceoff against New Amsterdam United on the tournament’s opening day on March 20 at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) Ground.

When the competition continues on Saturday March 21 at the Victoria Community Centre Ground, two- time champions Fruta Conquerors (2002 & 2004) will play Mahaica Determinators and 2008 winners Pele comes up against Grove Hi-Tech.

On day three at the Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) Ground GDF plays Winners Connection and 2009 Champions Western Tigers will collide with Hi-Stars.

The final first round matches in the ‘win or go home’ formatted tournament will see Guyana’s number one club Alpha ‘The Hammer’ United playing new comers Agricola Red Triangle and ‘West Side’ Champions Slingerz FC, who themselves are playing in their first Kashif and Shanghai tour-

Organisers briefing representatives of the participating clubs at 704 Sports Bar yesterday. nament, features against 2001 Champions Victoria Kings at the DCC Ground.

The DCC Ground will also host the quarter-finals matches on March 27 and 28 while the recently built stadium at Leonora will be the battle ground for the tournament’s semi-finals on April 1 and the finals will be played at the Guyana National Stadium on April 5.

The winners of this year’s tournament will walk away with $2M, second-placers $1M, while third and fourth placers pocket $500 000 and $250 000 respectively.

At yesterday’s team briefing, the clubs and the organisers all went through the rules and regulations for the tournament where a number of issues were clarified.

Unlike the previous years it was stated by Kashif Mohammad that teams will not be given the customary preparation fee since it’s a short tournament coupled with ‘not so kind’ response from corporate Guyana.

According to Mohammad, businesses are sceptical of investing heavily since it’s an election year and the tourna-

ment is close to when the country head to the polls.

Nonetheless, he (Mohammad) is optimistic that the tournament will be well received and attended by the football hungry public.

The clubs all expressed their delight at participating and had no objections or reservations at not having the habitual preparation fee, understanding the organiser’s position.

AB de Villiers backs Nine CARIFTA Times and Three National Holder to succeed Records on Day one of Mash Swim Meet

By Tamica Garnett

Jason Holder SYDNEY, Australia (CMC) – South Africa skipper AB de Villiers has backed his young West Indies counterpart Jason Holder to succeed as captain, and says he also expects the Caribbean side to pose a threat in the ongoing World Cup. The 23-year-old Holder has had a rough initiation, suffering a 4-1 drubbing to South Africa in his first series at the helm and then also enduring a shock four-wicket defeat to Ireland in the Windies opening Group B game two weeks ago.

However, de Villiers praised Holder’s maturity and said he expected him to come through this tough period.

“He’s actually a really nice guy, so yes, we’ve all been there. I’ve been there before in my career, as well,” de Villiers pointed out.

“I think every captain goes through really tough games. I think that it was a

really tough game for him [on Friday], but we had a tough game in the last one at Melbourne. That’s part of the game.

“I know for sure that he’s mature enough to handle it.

He’s got enough teammates with experience around him to look after him, and there’s no doubt that the West Indies will bounce back. They’re a classy unit and still a very dangerous team in this tournament.”

South Africa handed West Indies the joint worst-ever defeat in World Cup history on Friday, when they thrashed them by 257 runs at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

De Villiers was the architect behind the victory, plundering a 66-ball unbeaten 162 as the Proteas piled up 408 for five, the second highest World Cup total.

Holder, a lanky seamer, suffered at de Villiers’ hands, with the last two overs of his 10-over spell gushing 64 runs.

DORADO’s Speed Swim Club’s Hannibal Gaskin clocked three of the nine CARIFTA qualifying times gained, while Orca’s Aleka Persaud toppled three national records as day one in the Guyana Amateur Swimming Association (GASA) Mashramani Meet got underway yesterday at the National Aquatic Centre, Liliendaal.

Gaskin was among seven swimmers who managed to gain qualifying times for the upcoming Swimming Championships set for next month in Barbados. The other swimmers were Antonio Hussein, who had previous clocked a qualifying time, Daniel Scott, Onika George, Jamila Sanmoogan, Omar Adams, and Joseph De Nobrega.

Competing in the Boys 15 – 17 age category, Gaskin clocked 57.69 seconds in the 100m freestyle to easily surpass the 1:02.19s qualifying time, as he championed the event.

Coming in behind Gaskin also with a qualifying time was Omar Adams who finished in 1:00.50s, not done yet, third place finisher in the event De Nobrega also made it pass the mark having touched the wall in 1:01.46s.

Gaskin continued by gaining qualifying times in the 50m butterfly and 400m freestyle where he clocked times of 27.37s and 4:32.03, respectively.

Hussein clocked 1:04.69s in the boys 13 – 14 100m freestyle to just beat the 1:05.29s qualifying time, and win the event, gaining his second CARIFTA qualifying time.

Taking second place, also in a qualifying time, was Scoot who clocked 1:04.71s.

As the 100m freestyles continued, Silver Shark’s George and Sanmoogan picked up a qualifying time in the girls’ 15 – 17 category. George clocked 1:05.03s, while Sanmoogan ended in 1:05.03s as well, exceeding the 1:08.39s qualifying time set out.

For her part, young Aleka Persaud, who is not yet of age to attend the CARIFTA Championships, showed that when the time comes she will certainly be a force to be reckoned with.

Hannibal Gaskin The promising eight year old could not compete for a CARIFTA times but out done herself as she overwhelmed the national long course records in all of her events, competing in the 8 and under age category.

In the 50m butterfly, Persaud clocked seconds to erase the five year old 49.84 seconds record previously set by Accalia Khan. In the 100m freestyle she once again tore down another one of Khan’s record as her 1:24.84s overcame the standing 1:27.41s record.

Persaud overthrew her own record of 56.55 seconds in the 50m breaststroke, when she clocked 48.99 seconds in the event. Persaud is expected to be out in the pool overthrowing more records again today, when the competition continues at the same venue.

Sport CHRONICLE

The Chronicle is at http://www.guyanachronicle.com

GFC/Den Amstel, Riddim Squad/N.A United clash on opening day See story on page 31

Golden Jaguars to roar against St Lucia on March 22 at Providence

Golden Jaguars during training prior to their clash against Barbados in January.

MCYS/EBFA Pee Wee League

Agricola needle Herstelling; Mocha draw Grove for first point Compliments of an own goal off the boot of Herstelling Raiders’ Shoran James in the 10th minute, Agricola Red Triangle ended their quest for top honours in the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport (MCYS) sponsored East Bank Football Association (EBFA) with their second win in five matches.

It was billed as a clash of the defensive minded teams and that is how it unfolded, Agricola holding their nerve to hold on for the win which has taken them to second in the points standings behind leaders Craig Primary, both on 8 points, the latter enjoying a better goal average.

Both teams enjoyed good moments with Herstelling having the edge in offensive raids but Agricola played with heart and never allowed Herstelling to settle in the final third.

Yesterday’s opening game produced a 1-1 draw between Grove Hi tech and Mocha Champs who registered their first point. From page 27

Agricola taking the ball forward against Herstelling Raiders yesterday at the Grove Playfield.

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SUNDAY MARCH 1, 2015